Image Credit In the May 21 issue of Forbes, the article “Thrifty Does It,” describes how Christian Gheorghe Hates started a billion dollar company with a shoestring budget. School leaders tell their communities that they must do more with less. Hates' strategies show how he cut costs nearly 90% while he was able to deliver … Continue reading Good Advice for School Technology Leaders
Category: Technology
Venus and Jupiter (and Aldebaran and the Pleiades) This Morning, July 27, 2012
Clear skies prevail this morning in the Chicago area as Morning Stars Venus and Jupiter gleam in the eastern predawn sky. This 30-second image was made at 4:10 a.m. CDT. Planet Jupiter is near Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus. The Hyades star cluster shines nearby. The Pleiades star cluster shines higher in the sky. Notice how Venus and Jupiter … Continue reading Venus and Jupiter (and Aldebaran and the Pleiades) This Morning, July 27, 2012
With Technology in Schools Nothing Has Changed
Image Credit With technology in schools nothing has changed. Several years ago, I performed some original research about technology in schools (reference). While this study occurred in a limited scope with a few school districts and I stated it could not be generalized, the results appear to be similar to what is appearing in popular … Continue reading With Technology in Schools Nothing Has Changed
Technology Enhancement: Fundamentally Flawed
Image Credit The use of the term "technology enhancement" is fundamentally flawed. First definitions from dictionary.com: 1.to raise to a higher degree; intensify; magnify; 2.to raise the value or price of. In schools this means purchasing a variety of techno gizmos so that teachers can teach the same way, moving overhead transparencies to slide shows. Teachers continue to drone away at the front of the … Continue reading Technology Enhancement: Fundamentally Flawed
Deregulation of Education 3: Show Me The Money
Image Credit Wes Freyer recently reported on a digital learning conference in Oklahoma. In this report he included a video about the money potential in digital learning that is embedded below. The presenter outlines the money in Pennsylvania Cyber Charter Schools along with the scope of the money involved in digital learning and executive salaries. … Continue reading Deregulation of Education 3: Show Me The Money
Normal is Revolutionary
Image Credit "What's revolutionary for adults is normal for kids," stated Jaime Casap of Google to technology leaders at a meeting of the Illinois Chief Technology Officers today. Casap implored school leaders to build great teachers, appeal to students' motivations, focus on the basics, and prepare students for more education after high school, although not necessarily a four year … Continue reading Normal is Revolutionary
Developmental Education
Image Credit At a recent SLATE meeting, Blackboard and K12.com presented a Blackboard-branded program about a service for higher education: Developmental education. This is a polished name for remedial courses. The presenters stated that "60% of all students in higher education need at least one remedial math course." Blackboard has a small program that provides courses (from … Continue reading Developmental Education
Technology is Distraction in Schools
Image Credit Ron Packard of K12.com spoke today at an Illinois Policy Institute program today in Chicago. He thinks technology is a distraction in schools because it in not fully part of the core learning. A classroom may have a few computers at the back of the room and they become diversions from learning rather than being core parts of … Continue reading Technology is Distraction in Schools
Online learning: Shouldn’t We Do better?
Image Credit With online learning, shouldn't we do better? Shouldn't we have higher expectations? Shouldn't we stop telling partial truths? Partial truths don't help online learning initiatives. All learning through technology is not all powerful. When I was in elementary school, the teachers used controlled reading projectors. These contraptions used modified film strip projectors to … Continue reading Online learning: Shouldn’t We Do better?
Notes From the Virtual School Symposium 2011
Over 1,900 conferees assembled in Indianapolis for the Virtual School Symposium November 9-11, 2011. My notes from the day follow. A wiki is available for the event. On Wednesday, I participated in a day long workshop for participants starting online programs. Holly Brzycki, John Canuel, David Glick, and Phil Lacey presented about their specialties: curriculum, leadership, … Continue reading Notes From the Virtual School Symposium 2011