Professional Learning
Edcamp: Innovation In Professional Development
Professional development (PD) opportunities for educators today are still relatively limited to seasonal workshops and conferences. While this can be the preferred model for district administrators when looking at continuing education requirements, teachers are finding ways shake up the idea of traditional ongoing professional learning opportunities.
Staff Picks: Big Data, OER, Teacher Professional Development
Tom picks "BIG data" this week. Karen picks the article "The State and OER" on the new OER programs in Washington State while Caroline picks the article "Sacramento mayor, former NBA star Kevin Johnson in Tacoma tonight." Sarah picks the article "Digital Age Teacher Council Outlines Teaching Transformation."
10 Ways I Use Technology to Learn
Talking to smart people at Startup Weekend SFO During the NYTimes conference this week a tweeter got frustrated with the old white men on the stage, “One last time: Would the panel mind talking about how they themselves use technology to learn?” So I thought I’d respond. Write…
Get out the blender, kids
I think I have just glimpsed the future, or at least what could be the future, of public education. I’m talking about the effective use of today’s technology to enhance learning, or what insiders are calling ‘blended education.’ Michael Horn, a co-author of Disrupting Class, provided a definition: Blended learning is any time a student learns at least in part at a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home and at least in part through online delivery with some element of student control over time, place, path, and/or pace.
Six premises, seven ideas for better teacher training
At the Twitter Town Hall with Education Secretary Arne Duncan (related: the full transcript of that dialogue is online) on August 24, he promised some new initiatives regarding schools of education. In the hope that the suggestion box is still open, I have a suggestion — not for the Secretary but for schools and colleges of education.
Data Quality Campaign Discusses Data for Teacher Effectiveness
The Data Quality Campaign released "Using Data To Improve Teacher Effectiveness" this July, a policy brief targeting the way data analysis can be used to improve teacher effectiveness, professional development and student outcomes.
Digital Education Will Improve & Speed College Completion
Online courses allow students to accelerate learning and finish high school & college in 6 years
21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020
Shelly Blake-Plock of Teach Paperless provides us with 21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020.
Video: Karen Cator, Dir. of Ed Tech, U.S. Dept. of Ed
U.S. Department of Education Director of Educational Technology Karen Cator talking about professional development online, during Education Week's Leadership Forum, "Unleashing Technology to Personalize Learning." This video and the others we are running today are from this series.
Digital Learning Discussion
The Digital Learning Council will release the framework for the future of education on 11/30. Here's a preview of discussion topics.