Monday, October 12, 2015

What's with Formative Assessment?

Formative Assessment is Assessment for Learning


Formative assessment is getting a great deal of notice of late. Chapter 8 of the State of California ELA/ELD Framework focuses specifically on this topic. This post will explain what it is as well as some best practices will be identified. Also, information about some online and digital formative assessment tools will be provided.

The definition of Formative Assessment from Chapter 8 (page 822) is to “provide information about student learning minute-by-minute, day-to-day, and week-to-week so that teachers continuously adapt instruction to meet students’ specific needs and secure progress”. Instead of providing information at the end of a learning cycle, Formative Assessment provides learning information to teacher and student alike.

There has been discussion about whether it is appropriate to grade Formative Assessment. Learners may not have all mastered a topic when a Formative Assessment is given. The teacher learns who has and has not learned material, then can adjust teaching strategies. Students learn what they do not have a complete grasp of, so must work toward that goal.

There are a variety of tools that can be used to assess learning during the learning cycle. Some are tried and true, while others are digital and new. Each has its place. The State of West Virginia provides examples of Formative Assessment at this site. Some tried and true elements are exit tickets, graphic organizers, and discussion. Some new resources include digital games and websites that gather important data about student knowledge. These include: Socrative, GoFormative, and Kahoot. These new tools are worth investigating, as they can help gather the formative data needed to evaluate student learning, while engaging students at the same time.

When addressing the formative assessment and grading question, teachers ask, “How can we motivate students to try?” I challenge them to observe a classroom playing Kahoot to ask that question. Novelty is worthy. It keeps the learning interesting and the learner motivated to learn. Try these new learning tools!

Want more information? Check out this Edutopia blog on having a Courageous Conversation about grading practices.

This blog post is dedicated to my friends at #TOSAchat where the Formative Assessment discussion began several weeks ago. I expect it will continue!





Wednesday, August 19, 2015

TOSAs Chat Up Twitter #TOSAChat and #ConnectedTL

This Twitter thing is hot! I know that I"m behind the times, but am working hard to catch up. There are so many educational chats out there, I didn't know where to begin.  Since I will be starting a job as an Instructional Coach in the next week, I wanted to find a PLN (Professional Learning Network) that I could learn with and from. Then I found two, while at the #CUERockStar Black Label sessions for TOSAs (Teachers on Special Assignment) on August 15-16, 2015.

The first, @TOSAChat and #TOSAChat, held its first chat ever on Monday, August 17, 2015 at 8:00 p.m. PST. It was lively! Luckily, I just added Tweetdeck the day before, so I could follow the chat. Holly B. Steele (@hollybsteele) gave me the great suggestion of opening up two columns for the chat, one for old and one for current tweets. I'm going to use that strategy next week! Here is a link to the Storified version of the inaugural chat.

A short 23-hours later, the @ConnectedTL and #ConnectedTL (short for Connected Teacher Learner) began at its regularly scheduled time, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. PST. The hosts of this ongong Twitter chat are @rhondacorippo, @mrvaudrey, and @catetolnoi. This chat is really organized! The chat has a Pinterest Board with resources and posted the questions before the chat, which was really appreciated. That kept me from having scroll fever during the chat, wondering what the current question was...and what the answers being posted related to.

If you are a TOSA, TOSA-wannabe, Coach, Administrator, or Teacher on the lookout for good stuff, I encourage you to check out these chats...and start following some of the innovative teachers in these chats! Start off the new school year by building a PLN that meets your needs, whether as a TOSA or otherwise.

Need to find more educational chats, I suggest having a look at the cybraryman educational chat schedule and list of educational hashtags. Find a PLN that fits!

Friday, August 14, 2015

Run, Don't Walk to the Next CUE Rock Star Teacher Camp

This week, I attended my first CUE Rock Star Teacher Camp at Crescent City, CA. This is the last teacher camp of the 2015 Summer season. What is Rock Star Camp for teachers? First, they are the brainchild of the creative Jon Corippo, Director of Academic Innovation at CUE.org. This movement has morphed from one or two a year for teachers, to 13 Teacher Camps this summer, Administrative Camps, and Camps for TOSAs. Check out the Cuerockstar.org site for updates or follow the #cuerockstar Twitter hashtag for current happenings.

What happens in a CUE Rock Star Camp? First, the shreds start off the day: Each faculty member riffs for two minutes on his or her day's session: one slide only. Each faculty member leads two sessions per day which are repeated so if you miss something in the morning, you can join the afternoon. Sessions are two hours long. They are more about making and doing than sitting and getting. Questions, texting, collaboration, new ideas, new solutions, problems are all encouraged. The sessions are focused on meeting the needs of your students and your needs as a teacher, so you can support student learning.

Sunset over Crescent City Harbor with Pro HDR app and iPhone 5S 

Here are some examples of sessions on the schedule, just in Crescent City (link to the Schedule). In the Crescent City camp, Day 1 is on Google or Apple tools, Day 2 in on STEAM sessions, and Day 3 is on Innovative Pedagogies. Lunch is two hours to allow time to make connections and learn in an ad hoc way with participants and faculty. At lunch on Day 1, we learned how to use Twitter better and introduced the new Periscope app, owned by Twitter. On Day 2, we shared out Twitter handles and talked informally about solutions to challenges, one to one or a few.

What is the secret sauce of a Rock Star Camp? It is beyond the structure and open, supportive culture: it is the people who attend the camp. The Rock Stars aren't the faculty. The Rock Stars are the teachers who come to learn. Some of the Rock Star Faculty I've met this year are: Chris Scott, Art La Flamme, Rae Fearing, Rick Phelan, Tracey Campbell, Charlene Knowlton, and Colby Smart. We have been lucky to share, learn, and celebrate Crescent City together at our host site, the Del Norte High School. Thanks for being great hosts. Rock On, Crescent City!



Monday, August 10, 2015

Up, Periscope?

Have you heard of the new app, Periscope?
Periscope Logo


It is owned by Twitter, and can be used to create a live broadcast. I have seen it pop-up (pardon the pun) quite a bit this summer, between educators whom I follow periscoping (yes it's now a verb) sessions at conferences, to a favorite band, for King & Country, giving fans a backstage, sneak peek into its summer tour.

Want to know more? Watch this brief YouTube by Sunny Lenarduzzi with instructions on how to use Periscope. She also compares it to Meerkat, a similar app.



I have really enjoyed being a watcher of Periscope. This week, I will be joining the faculty at Cue Rock Star Teacher Camp in Crescent City. I will try to Periscope from there, to try it out! Hope to share Periscope with you soon!


Saturday, August 8, 2015

Blogging Poll - Share Your Views!

We've now been blogging in Edtech 537 all summer. What have you learned? What are your experiences and plans. Respond to the following poll to let me know:


Friday, August 7, 2015

What is Your "Road Not Taken"?

Why read Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken"? Why listen to the poet read it? Try listening, then see if you agree with me....


As an English teacher, I've read the poem, "The Road Not Taken"  by Robert Frost many times. I read it as a student. I've taught it over several years. Many of you have read it or studied it along the way, too. I've examined it line by line with Freshmen, annotating it along the way. I may get it right when I interpret the tone (the author's attitude towards the subject) of wistful regret when looking back at past choices. I will probably keep learning as I return to the poem over time. Here's the gist of my understanding:

Each of us has a fork in the road, where a choice was made. One direction was taken over another. The "road not taken" was left behind. Like Frost, I have "kept the first [road] for another day!" Whether it is a relationship, a school, a friendship, or place where I lived, I believe that I can return, even as I walk down another path.

Frost's voice soothes us as he closes the poem, stating he "took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference." The cadence of his voice, the pauses and inflections give the poem greater impact and meaning. Do you find this to be true?

So, I wonder what is your "road less traveled by"? Will you take the unusual route, or follow the crowd? I like Frost's advice to find and follow my own road. Tweet out your travel plan or view looking back at a choice using the hashtag #roadnottaken .

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Book Recommendation: Power Up by Diana Neebe and Jen Roberts

An audio entry using AudioBoom!

Photo Source: Stenhouse Publishers
Image Source: Stenhouse Publishers

While on vacation, I've been smiling, highlighting, and nodding in agreement while reading Diana Neebe and Jen Roberts' new book, Power Up: Making the Shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning, published by one of my favorites, Stenhouse Publishers. I've added a brief audio review of the book below, and will return to add more information later after finishing the book. I plan to use it as a key source for Professional Development next year!





TECH is Diana Neebe and Jen Roberts innovative interpretation of the
SAMR Model created by Ruben R. Puentedura, Ph.D.


Figure 1.5 Power Up


Resources:

Power Up Study Guide

Plug in Power Up Website

Follow them on Twitter:
Diana Neebe: @dneebe
Jen Roberts: @jenroberts1
Hashtag: #PowerUpEd

Note and a bit of a disclaimer:
I first met Jen Roberts in March 2015 when I attended her session on Blogging at the Google in Education Summit on March 21-22, 2015 following the annual CUE 2015 Conference in Palm Springs, CA. I was inspired by her Lit and Tech Blog, overall body of work, and started to follow her on Twitter. When I ran into her again at EdSurge Summit in LA, I knew that I was doing the right kind of PD, since she was there! While virtually attending the ISTE conference (ISTELive), up popped a Periscope, and I was able to attend Diana and Jen's session on Power Up via Jen's Phone. I was immediately hooked! While taking a class this summer, I asked Jen to Guest Post on this blog, to which she kindly agreed. You can see her post here. Thanks Jen and Diana for your #professionalgenerosity !

Monday, August 3, 2015

New Leading Edge Certification - Professional Learning Leader


image entry        
Are you starting a new position as a Ed Tech TOSA/Coach of teachers?

There's a new Leading Edge Certification (LEC): Professional Leaning Leader. This is the fourth certification program offered by the Leading Edge Alliance. The first three, Digital Educator, the Online and Blended Teacher, and the Administrator address integration of technology and curriculum to best meet the needs of students. I have completed three of the LEC programs online, and each has met my needs as I develop as an educator.

The Professional Learning Leader supports Instructional Coaches and Tech Coaches needs. Most of the participants in the course I took were already leaders. The course was offered through cue.org, so attracted lots of movers and shakers. That is one significant benefit of the class, which was taught online over an eight week time frame. The workload is generally pretty manageable, certainly less than an online class at a university. Further, the class, which is taught in modules, provides the opportunity to work on units for classes or lessons I was teaching. I always love it when I can double-dip and work once for two outcomes.

Each of the certifications focuses on research-based teaching strategies  For the Digital Educator, I was introduced to TPACK and SAMR. In the Professional Learning Leader course, Malcolm Knowles' Adult Learning Theory was introduced. The theory was the foundation, then we had the opportunity to practice creating using a variety of tools as well as collaborating with other students.

Another key piece of information were details about standards regarding digital and online learning. Two organizations ISTE and iNACOL are key in providing the standards and resources to meet them.

Mike Lawrence, CEO of CUE.org, wrote an article in eSchool News on the Five Reasons Certification is Important for Edtech Leaders, which you can read to get his slant on the topic. The next reason for me was the opportunity to take the class online with Sandy Somera. I was lucky to have her as the instructor in all three of the Leading Edge courses that I took. I'm sure there are lots of other great teachers out there as well, but she has a wealth of knowledge which she is eager to share. She is worth following on Twitter too: @sandysomera.

Breaking News: Eileen Walters is now responsible for the Leading Edge Certification charge at CUE. See this announcement on 7-31-15 from the CUE.org webage for more information.

At the end of each Leading Edge course, each student compiles a digital portfolio, representing the work accomplished in the class. In all three of the classes, we used Google Sites to create the portfolio. The process of completing these certifications prepared me to do well in graduate-level Edtech classes that I'm taking currently at Boise State University (@edtechbsu). They also prepared me to confidently explore digital tools in my classroom and with other teachers. That kind of confidence is fun to earn and share with others.

For a look at a completed Leading Edge portfolio, here is a link to my Leading Edge Professional Learning Leader site. I hope that you consider Leading Edge Certification!

Monday, July 27, 2015

Is There a Digital and Generational Divide?


https://pixabay.com/en/digital-zeros-ones-woman-stylish-388075/
In a 2007 online article entitled “Digital Nativism”, author Jamie McKenzie critiques Marc Prensky’s analysis in his 2001 article, “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants”, stating, “His view is intellectually bankrupt, but simple-minded thinking is often attractive.” The main crux of McKenzie’s article is that Prensky has relied upon scant, specious, or tangential evidence at best to forge his theory of a digital divide between Digital Natives (the Gen-Xers and Millenials/Gen-Nexters) and Digital Immigrants (Boomers). I have to admit, that based upon my initial read of Prensky’s article, I did find it “attractive”. Yet, I have to chide myself, as I have done to my high school students, to consider and weigh the evidence.


A deeper review of evidence can be found in Reeves’ 2008 meta-analysis of research on the topic, “Do generational differences matter in instructional design?” The short and long of this analysis leads to the following key conclusions among others:


  • No statistically significant difference exists between the generations’ learning needs and educational requirements.
  • The studies identified have largely focused on elite populations and lack sufficient data on blue collar and lower socioeconomic groups which would be needed to make valid general conclusions.
  • Good instructional design and methods (does this mean a well-prepared teacher?) trump the delivery method (whether in person or online; whether with or without technology).


Now what?

So the take-away for me as either a teacher or a coach of other teachers, is that we need to know our students and design lessons that support their learning. This can include technology, however, learning needs should drive the lesson structure rather than technological tools. Instructional design begins with the learner. What does he know? What is her background? What are the learning goals? How can we as teachers build a bridge (or in Vygotskian terms a “scaffold”) to engage and support student learning? Therein lies the beautiful puzzling and rewarding profession of teaching.


How do I reply to the proponents of Prensky’s “Digital Natives”?


Honestly, McKenzie’s article does an outstanding job of debunking the mythology of the Digital Natives explanation. As attractive as the idea is, it does not withstand the close analysis provided by McKenzie. While Prensky may set the Natives against the Immigrants, I think each generation has skills, ideas and capabilities. I would rather learn from each other, than cast aspersions. I am a Baby Boomer, but use technology to learn and teach. If I can be an exception to the Digital Immigrant label, perhaps others can defy easy but faulty categorization. Then, perhaps, we can all work together to teach and learn.


Sources:


McKenzie, J. (2007). Digital nativism: Digital delusions and digital deprivation. From Now On, 17(2). Retrieved from http://fno.org/nov07/nativism.html


Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants – Part II: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6). Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf


Reeves, T.C. (2008). Do generational differences matter in instructional design? Online discussion presentation to Instructional Technology Forum from January 22-25, 2008 at http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/Paper104/ReevesITForumJan08.pdf

Monday, July 20, 2015

To Common Core or Not To Common Core?

A bit of commentary...


The puzzle of teaching in the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) era is one that leaves me, a public school teacher in California, often scratching my head for answers. I am conflicted about the new standards, in part because of how they are politicized. However, I  personally prefer the CCSS approach to the previous NCLB and California State Standards: Diving deep into topics (a CCSS approach in my mind) is far preferred to wading in a mile-wide, inch deep puddle of memorized knowledge.


I have just finished a four-year stint of teaching high school English. My CCSS experience is hence focused on the English/Language Arts standards. The students I taught over these years have all been educated in the NCLB era (effective on 1/8/2002). I see the biggest challenge, however, is for current high school students making the shift to Common Core, without the benefit of a ramp of educational experiences leading them to this point. This is the challenge for today’s teachers in students: How do we make this shift?


I leave aside the politics of Federal versus State educational control and policies. I even let go of the politics of testing. These are all out of my control. What is and will be under my control is the students in my classroom and how I collaborate with other teachers to improve student learning. I embrace this time of change. I honestly think it is change for the better. As teachers, we are being asked to prepare students for the future, and consider what students need to succeed in the real world.

Rather than constructing an “either/or” argument, (either academic knowledge or world-of-work skills), I’d rather create a “yes/and” learning environment, where solutions to multiple demands can be found. So I seek out methods that engage students, such as Project Based Learning, and bit by bit, students will learn to dive deeper into understandings, even if we have to wade out together gradually, until they are eventually ready to swim off independently.




For embracing this yes/and attitude, I owe a debt of gratitude to Mike Lawrence, CEO of CUE.org, for his recent Ted Talk about the teacher's lounge.

Have more questions about Common Core? I just found this updated link from Edutopia on the topic that might help!

Saturday, July 18, 2015

This is not my blog? ...I'm okay with that.

Hi, I’m Jen Roberts. Judy asked me to write a guest post on her blog and that’s why I am here. But where is here? Well, on the web, I guess, a space brought to us by Sir Tim Berners-Lee. Sometime in the early nineties, while I was negotiating my first years as a college student, Berners-Lee was building the first web pages. Wikipedia explains it better, but basically he was the first to make the Hypertext Transfer Protocol work. You know how all our web addresses start with http? That’s him. This gives us the world wide web, the ability to get to websites, the means for adding links into text, creating hypertext, and of course millions of cat videos.
So why are we here? Now that we know, sort of, where here is. Berners-Lee had an idea about that too. He sees the web as a collaborative space, where everyone can share their information and ideas. We are here, basically, because we have something to say and the web gives us a free and public space to say it.
And so we blog because we can, because twenty five years ago if you had something to say you could write a letter to the editor, hold up a sign, print a pamphlet or even try to get a book published, but if you wanted to reach a global audience you had to do something outrageous enough to break into the mainstream media. We blog because we know that within a few hours a blog post can reach thousands of people, who may or may not agree with us, but who are likely at least interested enough to read our words. We blog because it gives us voice. We blog because we have something to share, rant about, or reflect on, or for educators it is often something to teach. 
I’ve looked through Judy’s blog, here at the beginning of her blogging journey she is writing about her plans, the things she wants to learn more about, the books she wants to read this summer. It is her way of publicly announcing her goals, perhaps in an effort to keep herself focused on what they are. I’ve been blogging for more than a few years now at LitandTech.com about my classroom, the things I’ve learned, apps I like and how I used them in the classroom, reflections on educational models, books I’ve read, things I think work for my PLC and my students, and whatever seems important to me at the time. It is really wonderful when a teacher asks me about how I do something and I can not only answer the question, but link him or her to a post with more specifics. Like when someone asked me, “What is a Google Form good for in the classroom anyway?” It took me three posts to cover all the things I use them for. When I have a good idea and it works for my students I want to share it. The most popular post on my blog right now is How I use Socrative for Writing Instruction.
"A blog is not a puppy."
“I don’t have time to write a blog,” is a pretty common statement from folks when I mention blogging. It’s also a pretty lame excuse for not sharing what you know and learn as you move through the world. A blog is not a puppy. It won’t wake you up and demand you write every morning. I blog when I feel like it, when I have something to say, a question to answer, or hey, a guest post to write. And, look it worked, you’re reading this. Now what do you have to say?

Jen Roberts is the co-author of Power Up: Making the Shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning with Diana Neebe. She blogs at Litandtech.com and also at PlugInPowerUp.com. The short list of other things Jen does is not so short. Just go follow her on Twitter. You'll be glad you did.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Innovation - Hot Topic! What do you think?

The light bulb is sizzling!

I am reading two books currently that are igniting my interest:

  • In his book, Pure Genius, Don Wettrick suggests keeping "an Innovation Idea Journal handy. [because] you never know when inspiration will hit" (38).
  • In her book, inGenius, Tina Seelig inspires, stating "With enhanced creativity, instead of problems, you see potential, instead of obstacles, you see opportunities, and instead of challenges, you see a chance to create breakthrough solutions." 
So...I am wondering:
  • What inspires you, whether as a teacher, student, parent, or person to get new ideas?
  • How do you record them and follow up on them?
  • How can a teacher embrace this attitude and transfer it to a student or classroom filled with students?
I'm curious what you think about these questions. Join the conversation!

Infographics - Tweet and Ye Shall Find

Understanding Infographics is an item on my personal quest list for the summer. On the same day that I added a blog post, I saw a tweet about Infographics from Kathy Schrock. The link she provided is chock full of resources, links, examples, and suggestions.

Here's the link to the site: I think I'll be nibbling at this and digesting for some time. Thanks, Kathy for all your work!



List of EdTech Puzzles to Solve this Summer

Here's what I'm wondering how to work or get to work better. Maybe I need a tech-mentor!

  1. Periscope App
  2. Voxer App and group meetings
  3. iOgrapher - How does it hold my iPad mini (did I get the wrong size?)
  4. DoInk green screen app on iPad 
  5. Wordpress - how to tag blog posts
  6. Canva - adding style to my substance
  7. Infographic-mania: Which is best and why? easel.ly or glogster?
  8. Twitter hacks - how to participate (not lurk) in twitter chats
  9. Meme making - what is the best way to do this?
  10. Google Maps - How many different curricular applications can I figure out.

I guess that is enough for me to ponder and work on for the moment...I should post some answers with resources once I figure out a few!

Summer Reading List with Links - Fun and Improvement

During the summer, I can indulge myself and read voraciously. As a now former English teacher (transitioning to an Instruction Coach next year), my school year was filled with reading papers...and rarely left eye-ball space for my own reading. Here is a list of what I've read and what I am reading this summer!

What I have read (sorry, only one book so far):

  1. Ruins of War by John A. Connell
    This murder detective thriller is set in post-WWII Munich, Germany. It is a compelling and historically researched novel. It was creepy and suspenseful. If you like the era or genre, I recommend this. I couldn't put it down
What I am reading now (note that there are quite a few more in this category, as I tend to parallel read for different purposes--pleasure, education, inspiration, connection, etc):


  1. Pure Genius by Don Wettrick
    I am taking a course on Project Based Learning, so picked this up after hearing about it on the Twittersphere. There are real nuggets of gold in this book...deep veins of gold ready for the grabbing. It is an easy read. Now, the trick is how to adapt his ideas and takes risks to develop the genius-level work he portrays.
  2. inGenius: A Crash Course in Creativity by Tina Seelig
    I just started reading a Kindle version of this book yesterday: it was mentioned in Pure Genius by Don Wettrick. Here's a glimpse into Stanford University Professor Seelig's  perspective: "Without creativity we are not just condemned to a life of repetition, but to a life that slips backwards." Creativity sounds much better.
  3. Power Up: Making the shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning by Diana Neebe and Jen Roberts
    I have had the pleasure to attending a training on blogging that Jen Roberts gave at the 2015 Cue Conference and became a fan. Imagine my surprise when my Periscope app notified me she was "periscoping" (now a verb) her session at this year's ISTE's conference, so I had the chance to attend her session online. I am still figuring this app out, but it is a cracker!
  4. I Am Not Sick I Don't Need Help! by Xavier Amador, Ph.D.
    I am struggling with a member of my family who is diagnosed with mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. I've spent the past 15 years of my adult life learning about how to diagnose, treat, and support someone with this illness. I continue on this journey, with less control, and a deeper desire to help. Tools are important. This book provides a model: LEAP or Listen Empathize, Agree, and Plan. I sure hope I can follow the plan.
It looks like I need to add a fun book to my summer reading list!


Saturday, June 27, 2015

Beginning Blogger c/o Boise State EdTech 537

During the Summer of 2015, I am embarking on a journey, to the universe of blogging. While I have put my toe into blogging before, just by starting this site, I believe that this will be my opportunity to dive deep...and explore hidden treasures. These may be caves of learning or dead-ends, that I abandon. Welcome to the journey. Onward to greet you in the blog-o-sphere!

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Divining Data

The time of year has arrived: It is officially testing season. I feel that my Junior English students have been very fortunate this year. We have had Chromebooks since October 2014. My four classes have worked on papers, Google Classroom, Google Docs and Slides, as well as with a plethora of Web 2.0 tools. Will this make a difference?

Climbing the SBAC Mountain, as I've termed it, is a daunting task for these first time Common Core State Standard test takers. We will be fully immersed in test-taking for the next week. We've done the work, students are better prepared than they have been in prior years. I hope they go for the highest peak of SBAC mountain and conquer it!