Defining Success Published 2008-03-14 under assessment, creativity, curious, project+based+learning

After finding a nice place to gather the kids, teacher Monica explains that today's art project will be to create a cow from coffee filters, yarn, and surrounding grass. She holds up an example, passes out the supplies and gives each child a cup to collect their grass.

The kids get to work and with the direction of their parents, some good looking cows emerge. Ruby, on the other hand, pours mounds of glue, slaps a filter down and pours more glue. Her father looks on observantly but offers no guidance. The result is very much unlike the initial example, receiving comments like "it's certainly abstract."

Reflecting on this class, I realized just how much we as teachers, parents, and adults define success for our children instead of letting them define their own success. For Ruby, success was pouring the glue and sticking different types of materials together. Success was defined in the process, not in the end product. I will admit that I wanted her to make a cool looking cow and it was difficult to restrain myself from making casual comments like "shouldn't the head be attached to the body?" But, this was not about me. This was not about teacher Monica. It was about Ruby. And we adults needed to get over our personal definitions of success and let the kids explore, learn, and define their own goals.

Later, Ruby and I were throwing a ball to each other. I found myself saying "good throw" when the ball came to me and "good try" when it didn't. It never occurred to me that for her, success might have been seeing how far the ball would roll after throwing it. In this scenario, throwing it to me would be a failure as the ball would not go as far.

In the classroom, we define all student success. Everything is held to a standard set by us (or perhaps the state). Are there opportunities for students to define their own success? What would an assignment look like that provided for student defined success? Could students handle such an assignment? What would they define as a success - would it be so simple as to not provide for any learning or so complex as to be impossible to obtain?

This idea of empowering students has great appeal to me but the pragmatist side of me recognizes the challenges. What are your thoughts?

By the way, I love Ruby's cow.

Tech Tags: assessment, success, creativity, child+development

EduBloggerConWest08 - The best part of CUE Published 2008-03-10 under conferences, project+based+learning

It was a minor miracle that I was able to attend the EduBlogger un-conference this past Wednesday. Between last minute preparations for my CUE presentation, technology glitches, delays in downloading media, and my lack of sleep thanks to our kids' needs, I questioned whether it was worth the stress/hassle to attend the un-conference. Lucky for me, I pushed through the hurtles and made it. I am so thankful that I did; it was well worth the effort.

The success of the event is a testimony to those in attendance, a group of smart, innovative, educators. We shared quick tech tips (see PicLens below), discussed big picture topics (see Project Based Learning below), and even disclosed our favorite, must have, technology that we carry in our bags (see In The Bag below).

In addition to the more formal parts of the un-conference, the networking opportunities were priceless. Had a great lunch conversation with Jennifer Wagner (of Women of Web 2.0), was inspired by Rushton Hurley's recounting of the process he went through to get Next Vista up and running, and appreciated the insights offered by Mark Pennington regarding blogging in general as well as my outdated website digiwalks.org.

Here are some of the take-aways that I would like to share with you...

PicLens

Brian Bridges did a 5-minute demo of PicLens. A description of this software does not do it justice. Check out their website and be prepared to be wow'd.

In The Bag

Here are three of my favorite items that peopled shared as the "most important technology in my bag":

1. UStream TV, a site that allows you to broadcast using your webcam. Steve Hargadon broadcast most of the un-conference using his Verizon Internet card.
2. An Eye-fi wireless memory card that automatically uploads pictures from your digital camera to your PC or Mac and to your favorite photo sharing site (read Flickr).
3. Advil - need I say more

Project Based Learning

This round-table conversation about the challenges to implementing project based learning was fascinating. It was agreed that for a teacher to be successful at integrating projects into her curriculum, she must have experience with projects. So how does one get started?

Two answers to this question struck a cord with me. The first involves a mentoring program where teachers with experience implementing projects into their classroom help run a project in the class of a teacher with little or no experience in this form of instruction. Certainly, there are issues with funding and coordination, but the idea is not without precedence. There are a number of programs of artists and scientists in residence, helping teachers in areas of instruction that they feel less comfortable. Why not a project based learning evangelist in residence?

The second solution discussed involves professional development that models project based learning. Instead of the traditional summer conference or workshop that we have all experienced, teachers are immersed in a curriculum that requires them to participate in a project so they can have the experience from the point of view of a student as this is a foreign way of learning to students also.

I was impressed with the comments from all of the participants of this breakout session but especially thankful to the ideas of Sylvia Martinez (session moderator) and Jane Krauss (who co-authored "Reinventing Project Based Learning", an ISTE publication). I greatly enjoyed meeting these exceptionally informed educators.

Again, I am so pleased that I made the EduBloggerConWest08 un-conference. It was the best part of my CUE experience. Thanks Steve for all of your hard work!

Tech Tags: edubloggerconwest08 piclens project+based+learning pbl

Why Blog? Published 2008-03-03

Is blogging all about YOU?

I ask this because I have been going through a period of questioning "Why Blog?". It seems that bloggers should be the poster children for selfless sharing of information and ideas. But is this altruistic motivation for real, or are bloggers self-obsorbed egomaniac who use their posts to inform others of their greatness?

I started this blog as vehicle for documenting my ideas and engaging in discussions. A while ago, I went through a period of frustration as reader numbers dropped. Not even my wife reads my posts. Do you write for your audience or is it for you?

Is the goal of blogging to inform, offer unique perspectives, or to provoke? Is the goal to cultivate a loyal following of readers or to contribute to a wider audience through such aggregators as Technorati?

I realize that there are many motivations for blogging. If you have an existing audience (e.g. a teacher or CEO), it makes sense to use blogs as a means of communicating and connecting with your audience. Within an educational environment, blogging is fantastic for giving students a chance to reflect, write, share ideas, discuss, and even disagree.

According to Technorati, there are 3,850 blogs about education technology. Why do these guys and gals blog? What are they contributing to the conversation that has not already been said by one of the other 3,849 bloggers? Or is that not important?

I ask these question as I get ready for EduBloggerCon - West Coast 2008 this Wednesday. I'll let you know what I discover!

Tech Tags: blogging why+blog edubloggerconwest08

Back From a Break and Looking Forward Published 3/03/2008 10:42:00 PM

It has been almost five months since my last post. This picture explains why...

While our Chapin has kept us busy, it would be too simplistic to place all of the blame for ignoring Digital Crosswalks on him. I have been busy with other projects (more on these in future posts). But, really, there is always time to do those things that are important to you.

So why no posts? Lack of ideas - No. I have outlined numerous posts in my mind, but they never made their way to the blog. Lack of interest - Warmer. I must admit that I went through a period of despair when my viewer numbers dropped. Lack of context - Hot. Over the past five months, I have stopped reading posts from those whom I have (and continue) to admire from the ed-tech world. Dave, Will, Vicki, Bud, Kathy, Steve, etc., I guess I need something different.

In the spirit of Frans Johansson's "Medici Effect", I have been looking beyond the ed-tech world for answers. In my last post before my 'break', I spoke about a Pop!Tech presentation by Jonathan Harris. The melding of art and science, design and technology, information and story, really excites me.

From my 'sabbatical', I return with numerous new project about which I will be sharing with you over the coming weeks. For now, it is off to EduBloggerCon - West Coast 2008 and the CUE Conference in Palm Springs, where I will continue to be asking "Why Blog?".

Tech Tags: digiwalks why+blog edubloggerconwest08 cue2008

I Feel Excited Published 2007-10-19 under conferences, digital storytelling, tools

I was treated to the (personal) discovery of the We Feel Fine project that has been online for two years scanning the blogisphere for posts with the word "fine". This tool not only aggregates blogs but exposes stories within them. It is a discovery engine that can be used to catch feelings and the stories behind them.

Jonathan Harris, one of the designers of We Feel Fine spoke at Pop!Tech today and talked about finding stories. This idea of discovering stories in different ways interests me and it was his demonstration how technology can be used to expose stories within stories that really excited me. To learn more about Jonathan Harris and his stories, check out his TED Talk. (Note: his Pop!Tech talk hopefully will be available soon too. Watch for the pop!cast.

It is especially interesting to view Jonathan Harris in view of an earlier presentation by Daniel Pink. Frequent readers will know that I really embrace the ideas expressed by Pink in A Whole New Mind, especially the idea that we need to celebrate both the right and left side brain activities. Jonathan Harris exemplifies this new professional, blending elements of computer science, anthropology, visual art and storytelling. His creative/innovative ideas of visualizing information and extracting meaning/stories from the information make him a hero.

Tech Tags: pop!tech jonathan harris feelings stories