Happy Holidays

As 2010 comes to close, I must say I am happy to put this year behind us. 2011 is bound to be a more prosperous and productive year and I am excited about the potential as schools and companies begin to invest again in technology.

Based on a whitepaper produced by Metiri Group and Cisco System, Inc., the research done in the last 5-10 years proves that the use of technology supports learning. New research in cognition and brain functioning reinforces this outcome.

The report: Technology in Schools: What the Research Says, indicates that television and video are at the top of the “food chain” as well as personal computers. Learners who have access to a computer outperform those who do not. And anytime we can include video into the mix, retention and learning go up. This phenomenon explains the popularity of YouTube. As humans, our eyes are our number one sensory organ and the more we can be stimulated visually, the better.

At Acadium, we are interested in technology trends and how our products and those of other vendors can support the learning process, both in the classroom and in corporate training rooms. The support from the federal government on down is encouraging and 2011 should bring even greater strides in how we educate our young people as well as the life long learner in each of us.

Happy Holidays.

First Impressions of Technology Plan

I read the executive summary of the final release of the National Education Technology Plan: Transforming American Education, Learning Powered by Technology.

As the founder of an educational technology company, Acadium, I am excited to see the focus on technology and how it can support learning. At Acadium, we are convinced that the technology that supports corporations can also support learning. We are passionate about exploring the unique contributions technology, specificially mobile and cellular, can contribute to educators and corporate trainers.

In the report, there is a renewed focus on the individual learner and how we can address individual needs and learning styles both inside and outside of the classroom. Using technology for collaboration, feedback, and "just-in-time" information can transform education.

Our system, mClk, provides instant feedback to educators and learners as learners send in text messages in response to questions or submit comments and opinions.

Another system, Knowledge Factor, provides learners with not only feedback on how accurate they are, but also how confident they are regarding their answers. In high-stakes environments this additional feedback loop is critical.

The LMS developers are also looking at ways to improve feedback. Both Blackboard and Desire2Learn continue to move forward and introduce new ways to analyze student data and provide educators with the ability to support individual learners.

It will be interesting to see how the recommendations and goals of the report are implemented. Stay tuned!

Diversity in learning options

Learning is a way of life--not a pursuit. I think one of the changes we will see in the coming years is a diversity in learning options. I see a day when learning will take place at all times of the day and night, 7 days a week. Students will take face-to-face classes, online classes, synchronous virtual classes, and hybrid combinations. It will give learners the ability to customize their schedules and to pursue a wide range of interests. Learners in remote and rural areas will have access to the same resources as children living in thriving cities.

Technologies abound already to provide these opportunities. The changes that will create this new learning environment will be at the policy level. Education leaders will begin to honor the diversity of our learners rather than trying to make sure every one graduates with the exact same classes over the exact same time frame.

Going the Distance - Next Round

I am preparing to facilitate a webinar next week on Virtual Classrooms. It is my prediction that we are ready for the next evolution in distance learning and we are going to shift from asynchronous online learning to synchronous virtual learning.

My rationale—students still complain about not having face-time with instructors. Many take online classes because they have to, not because they want to. Also, Blackboard just acquired the two web conferencing tools (virtual classroom systems) that are used in education circles. They must see something coming.

I am intrigued by the possibilities. Students and teachers can now interact in a live, synchronous environment. They can instantly share documents, brainstorm, do group work, and provide feedback through their computer or their cell phone. I don't think LMS's are going away—they will just be a supplemental tool.

The technology may be a little cumbersome now, but as with all applications, it will become easier to use and more readily available. We will also have to see how colleges and universities begin to identify these courses in their schedules. For, unlike online classes, they will require a date and time to specified but not a location.

You heard it here—we'll have to see how soon it all comes around. Feel free to share your thoughts!

Technology By Any Other Name...

I have been following a recent LinkedIn discusson where the following question was posed, "Should teachers be required to teach with technology?"

It has been one of the more active discussions with this particular group and there are, of course, many people on both sides of the argument.

My first instinct is to say, "yes, of course." Our students have embraced the technology, no, not so much as embraced, but are part of it and it of them--it is as much a part of their lives as television was to our generation.

I think if you asked this question of students, they would think it was a mute point. How do you learn without technology? How do you do research without the Internet? In fact, the annual Beloit College Mindset List (http://www.beloit.edu/mindset) reminds us that these college freshman have never used a card catalog and most don't wear a wristwatch (who needs one when you can check the time on your cell phone?) How do you collaborate with classmates on projects without technology-enabled collaboration tools? How do you write a paper without Microsoft Word (also according to Beloit, most of these freshman do not know how to write in cursive).

So, should we be required to teach with technology? I think most teachers already do and may not even acknowledge it. Technology is becoming such a part of our lives that even the digital immigrants are beginning to take it for granted.

I am working with an organization that is supporting the use of cell phones as audience response devices (clickers). This can be a little bit of a stretch for many teachers, but I have ridden this wave before. Remember when calculators were outlawed?

Feel free to share your thoughts.

EdTech Conference Observation

Last week was the ISTE Conference in Denver. Depending on who you talk to, there was anywhere from 15,000 - 18,000 attendees enjoying the exhibit floor and interesting breakout sessions. Here are some of my observations:

• Top two corporate sponsors were interactive whiteboard companies. Evidence that classroom technology (versus computer or distance learning) is hot right now.
• Mobile technologies were not very evident. More talk than walk. It will be interesting to see what the next year brings as there was plenty of talk.
• Several reports floating around cited an increase in online learning for high school students.
• Most talked-about technology was the iPad. You could witness small groups of people clustered around an iPad oohing and aahing.
• More international participation. I was amazed to see attendees from all over the globe. Evidence that we really are becoming a global community.

Tech conferences are a great way to get a pulse on the educational technology industry. They are good for networking and making new friends too. Share you experience at ISTE or other recent conference.

Use it or Lose it?

I am a member of the EDUCAUSE LinkedIn group. There has been a robust conversation on the discussion board about the use of cell phones in the classroom called Mobile Devices in the Classroom: Use Them or Lose Them?. There have been responses from both ends of the spectrum and everything in-between. Individuals who are adamant that cell phones do not belong in the classroom and teachers who are just as enthusiastic about their use and how they can enhance the classroom environment. And, of course, everything in between.

I believe the conversation came about because of the mLearning conference that took place last week in San Diego. The twitter feed from the conference share some of the following stats:

• More people have mobile phones (4.6B) than toothbrushes (4.2B).
• U.S. teens send SMS (text message) every 5 minutes.
• Half the total Internet access in the world comes from mobile phones.

It certainly is a technology that can’t be ignored. As many of you know, I am a supporter of the cell phone as a tool for learning. I think it holds great potential for transforming education—especially in developing countries. I think we are just scratching surface of what it can do.

I am very excited to be alive right now and I can’t wait to see how this story ends. Will the cell phone be relinquished to the box of old educational software titles and tools that were a “flash in the pan”? Or, will it prove to be evolutionary and become a staple of every learner, just like their calculator, pencil bag and notebook?

Summer Fun

I am excited about the coming summer months. They offer a time for a quieter pace in education. There is a little more time for reflection, experiementation, and planning. So much of our time during the academic year is spent just keeping the ball rolling, that summer time provides for a time to explore.

It is human nature to explore and when we are trying new things and extending our comfort levels, that is when we feel alive and enthusiastic.

Some of my goals for the summer are to:

• explore collaboration tools
• learn more about "virtual instructor-led" learning
• organize my office
• go through literature from previous conferences
• plan for the next release of mClk
• review enrollment data and user feedback

And, for all of those teachers who take the summer off, I hope it is rejuvinating and inspiring!

Here's to a tall glass of lemonade and warm days!

A Plan to Shape the Future of Education

I reviewed the draft release of the National Education Technology Plan. It is interesting to see so much emphasis put on technology. In no uncertain terms the current administration is sending a message loud and clear that teachers and students alike are expected to have basic technology skills, that technology will be an integral part of the profession of teaching, and that technology will be used to distribute education in a variety of delivery modalities.

I also found it interesting that the plan addressed some pretty forward thinking changes. The most extreme was the idea that maybe we are making a mistake by putting all five-year-olds into kindergarten. Maybe classrooms could bring together children with like interests and skill levels rather than their calendar age.

This is one of the reasons I like the Montessori school my children attend. They have mixed age classrooms so the room is full of a variety of children. The children are exposed to a variety of lessons and materials--allowing them to explore topics on an individual timeline rather than one dictated by grade-level standards. I think it is a good start towards individualized learning plans.

I find it interesting that it is often believed that providing the "same" education to all students represents quality education and equality. When, in fact, we are really doing children a disservice. The "best" education would be one that honored the individual nature of each child and provided for each child exactly what he or she needed.

If you are interested in reviewing the initial draft of the plan, it is available at: http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010

Let me know what you think!

Social Technology

I am fascinated about the topic of whether or not people in our young generation, say 15 - 25 year-olds are actually less socially aware or more socially aware. I have had conversations with people who bemoan the fact that young people always have their faces in technology and rarely talk face-to-face with other people. They interpret this activity as being less social.

I often suggest, however (after observing my own children), that they are more socially aware. They seem to always be connected to a friend or family member. They have ties to friends who have long left the same school or even the same state.

I don't remember being this connected when I was their age. I think their ability to connect via cell phone, MySpace or Facebook, or chat defines them as being more socially aware.

Another area that seems very different from my youth is multi-player gaming. People are playing games and collaborating with other people from all over the globe--learning skills like team building, how to recruit strong players to your team, and how to retain them once they are board. I can't wait to see if these skills transfer to the workplace.

Let me know what you think. Does technology enhance or hinder our ability as humans to connect and be social?

Support for Haiti

In a world so challenged as it is today with the tragedy in Haiti it is sometimes difficult to focus on the work at hand. Catastrophes like this give us cause to re-evaluate our priorities and to make sure we are on the road on which we intended.

Under the shadow of the pain and suffering in Haiti, I am still optimistic about what 2010 has to bring. It will be the year that our product mClk makes its debut and gets used in schools and organizations across the country. It is the year that the community colleges and universities in the US celebrate exceptional enrollment and growth. It is the year that more innovative classroom technologies are developed and teachers better supported in their adoption of these technologies.

As I look forward to the future of my startup company and for the work I do in higher education, I am reminded of the importance of focusing on the NOW. Of making sure that the current conversation is respectful, that the email is clear, and that my intentions are true. The three seconds in Haiti that changed 10s of thousands of lives could impact any one of us at any time. All we really have is the present moment.

The stronger we are and the stronger we become, the better able we are to support people in their times of need. It does not serve us to set our passions to the side, in fact, we are even more inspired to pursue them and see them flourish! Give as much as you can and then celebrate your gifts.

Happy New Year - Happy New Decade

Ringing in the new year always brings with it such a sense of optimism and renewal. I am looking forward to 2010--what it brings in the area of educational technology and what kind of trends will take form as we move into a new decade.

The mobile tools hold so much promise, I am sure we will continue to see advancements there. In addition to using them to replace some of the tasks we have done previously on computers, I think there will applications and uses that we haven’t even dreamed of that will take full advantage of what a mobile device can offer. Cell phone technologies continue to advance and carrier networks continue to improve providing us with a rich playground on which to develop tools to enhance learning.

The social aspect of the cell phone in education is yet untapped. In ways that we currently use text messaging as an emergency alert system, perhaps we can transition into homework alerts or tutoring tips. Staying connecting to teachers and classmates also offers great potential.

As always, a new technology tends to mimic the old--initially. Stand up radio announcers simply stood before a camera when television was first introduced. It will be interesting to see what unfolds as we explore the unique features of cell phones and mobile technologies and how we can harness them to support learning.