Which Social Network should you use? Infographic on which to use when.

Social Networks are a great resource for businesses, keeping in touch with friends, and education. Social Networks help educators and students learn, stay in contact, connect, share and more. But which Social Network is best for what?

Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, the many systems made for education (Twiducate, Edmodo, etc). Which do you use? Many schools and teachers like to use systems like Edmodo and Twiducate because they can keep things private and see who is accessing the information. Many schools use Google+ and set up Circles to keep things private and organized. Others just use Twitter and Facebook. It all depends on your needs, policies, and what you are trying to do with the system.

Here are some articles on different social networks and what they are useful for, as well as some course management systems that include social networking features. Below them, there is a great infographic from business consultant network Zintro on social networks and when they are best used for what purpose.

Related:

Twitter, Facebook, RSS feeds, Email, Google+ - why/when use each one

Twiducate - free social networking for schools

Twitter, Google Plus, and Facebook - a nice comparison

Social Media in Education - connect, share, learn, communicate and more

EDU 2.0 Free Course Management System for Schools

5 Great course management resources for educators

it's learning Course Management System

OpenClass - Pearson and Google combine to make free LMS

Learnboost online planner/gradebook announces new admin features

TED Launches TED-Ed "education lessons worth sharing"

TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) talks are a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading."  TED Talks are a collection of conversations and speeches by a variety of people, on a variety of topics. These topics range from education to humor to politics to science and much more. They are very informative and educational.
They have now launched TED-Ed, a new lesson-based YouTube channel. Aimed primarily at high-school students, it is meant for teachers to submit their best lessons, in a 10 minute or less video. TED will send a portable recording booth out to the teacher whose lessons where chosen. The lesson recordings are then animated and posted on TED-Ed.


Here's a video about TED-Ed


UPDATED 4-25-2012:


TEDed has a new url: ed.ted, and the new site allows teachers to create interactive quizzes about the videos. Teachers can track their students' performance on the quizzes also.


TED-Ed YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDEducation 
TED-Ed Homepage: http://education.ted.com


Related:

Official TED App for Android now Available

Why I'm a Teacher and what I like and dislike about it

 

I did not start out wanting to be a teacher. I had always wanted to be an engineer. I went to college to be an engineer and worked as an engineer for 10 years before becoming an educator. I was already an EMS Instructor. My mother was a teacher and my sister is a teacher. I had not thought about being a teacher until Winter of 2002. I was working part time and volunteering as a paramedic, as well as working full time as an engineer. I was at EMS chatting with my partner, who was a high school chemistry teacher, and talking about careers and I told him that I love teaching EMS classes and wondered about a teaching career. As we are talking, he notices an ad in the paper for the State's Alternate Route to Certification program coming up that summer. I applied, passed everything and became a high school Physics teacher and 10 years later I'm still a teacher. I've gotten two Master's Degree's in Education (Technology and Leadership), have my own educational blog, write for Tech&Learning Magazine, facilitate professional development in my district and present at educational conferences.I truly enjoy my new career.

People often ask me why I left engineering to become a teacher. They are usually pretty shocked considering the huge pay difference (I still don't make what I made as an engineer 10 years ago). I stated that I had always loved it as an EMS Instructor and as a Boy Scout Merit Badge counselor and thought that I would have something to offer my students with my experience as an engineer. I also figured that my 15 years of experience working in EMS in the city I would be teaching in would give me a good insight into the students' lives and home situations.

I have enjoyed teaching. I love helping students to learn something new, experience something new, and explore things. I love watching them work on labs and projects and seeing the light go off as they discover something. I love hearing them work through problems and projects. I love sharing things with them. I love listening to their stories, hearing about their lives and their dreams, and I love helping them with things that have nothing to do with my class. I love being a mentor to teenagers. I love sharing my love of science with them. I love showing them how smart they really are and what they can accomplish. I love hearing about their successes. I love working with them.

I love working with educators who truly care about students and want to make a difference in their lives. I love collaborating with other educators to come up with lessons, activities, and ideas for helping our students.

What I don't like about teaching is a mix of issues. I don't like the disrespect that we deal with on a daily basis from students, parents and administrators. I don't like students that don't follow the rules, cause trouble, are disrespectful, and don't do their work who face no consequences to their actions and continue to cause trouble. I don't like administrators who pick on teachers instead of helping them. I don't like endless, useless meetings. I don't like politicians and business persons thinking that they are experts in education and dictating what we do. I don't like standardized testing that is invalid and a waste of time and money. I don't like that I spend over $500 a year on supplies and resources for my classroom because the school systems and government don't adequately fund schools. I don't like that my pay is very low, considering my education and responsibilities. I don't like the current "edreform" movement that is not doing anything to help students, but rather is helping private corporations.

I don't like educators who don't care, don't enforce rules, and don't try to constantly improve what they are doing as educators. I don't like administrators who don't support their teachers.

However, everything I like completely outweighs what I don't like. I can't imagine not being a teacher. I endure the disrespect, the constant attacks on my profession, the low pay, the working at home, all because I believe that I can help students learn, grow, and succeed.



Why did you become a teacher? What do you like and dislike about the profession?







Related:

Just the Facts Please! The facts about "education reform" from NEA Today

Incompetent Teachers or Dysfunctional Systems? Fix the system to support the teachers.

Excellent Education Model - WPI's Plan

Educational Issues in Connecticut - what a mess!

The effects of poverty on students must be addressed in education reform

Why Teachers Like Us Support Unions

NCLB’s Impact on Science Education - NSTA Reports

NSTA, the National Science Teacher's Association, has a great report on the impact of NCLB on Science Education in the US.

The report has data and comments from educators. NCLB does not focus on science in the lower grades. As such, science takes a back seat in the lower grades. Many schools cut back on science education to make more room for reading, writing and math.

At the secondary level, science test prep causes many schools to cut back on labs and activities, instead focusing on test prep and content facts.

Science is important. It is a vital area for mankind. We need to make sure all students have a basic literacy in science to be informed consumers and citizens, and we need more students to go into science and engineering careers. Science and engineering solve the worlds problems. Standardized testing does not. We need to improve science education and make sure science is taught in every grade.

All science teachers, administrators, politicians, heck, everyone, need to read this report.
http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=59215


Related:

Experiments and Exploration are vital to science education!

3 Ways to Fix U.S. Science Education

STEM Resources for Educators and Students

10 Important Skills Students need for the Future

Thanks for Teaching Us - nice tribute to teachers

Thanks for Teaching Us is a nice tribute to teachers. The site lets people submit short stories about how a teacher impacted their life. It's a nice read, especially with all of the attacks on teachers happening lately. Reading these stories can make a dark day brighter for a teacher. 

Share it with everyone!

EMS Education practices - some good ideas for K12

In my other life, I am a Paramedic and EMS-Instructor. I've been in EMS since 1988 in college and have been instructing at different levels since 1990. I love it (although I've had two knee surgeries and I am currently not able to work on the road due to a back injury).

I am one of the senior instructors at the local EMS training program, teaching EMT, Advanced EMT and Paramedic programs. I also taught an EMT class at my school for many years. The Paramedic program is my main class that I teach now and we do some great things that can be applied to K12 education as well.

As background, the Paramedic program is about 14 months long, meeting 2 nights a week for 4 hours each night, plus multiple weekend classes and hundreds of hours of clinical time. Paramedics can intubate, defibrillate, pace, administer over 30 medications, start IV's, insert needles into a patient's bone, decompress a pneumothorax, insert a breathing device into a patient's neck through the skin, assess a patient and perform dozens of medical and trauma skills.

1. Lecture - yes, we lecture. We use the lectures to get information to the students so that they have a base of information to work with. We assign reading on the topic ahead of time and hit the main points in class. The lectures are interactive though, with demonstrations, discussions, and lots of questions to the students.

2. Practicals - these are similar to labs in science. Practicals are over 60% of the course. We have teaching practicals where we demonstrate and teach skills. We also do scenarios where the students have to apply what they have learned to work through a scenario and successfully treat a patient verbally,. There are the hands on practicals where they have to work through a scenario and do certain skills. We have manikins and life "victims" along with all of the equipment that they would use on an ambulance. We also set up very realistic scenarios outside, in the dark, in an actual vehicle, and so forth. This is where they truly learn and demonstrate their understanding of the concepts.

3. Simulations and Virtual environments - there are some virtual/online quizzes and scenarios that are available, as well as video scenarios that we will use in class. We also use video and audio clips to show them things they wouldn't be able to experience otherwise, such as lung sounds of a patient with respiratory problems, and young children in critical condition. We also use EKG simulators, IV arms, and manikins to simulate real situations. There are some very nice simulator manikins out there. We do not have the $50,000 one my colleague Richard Byrne saw recently, or the $100,000 one I used when taking a Terrorism and Special Operations EMS course with the Feds, but we have some good ones. The $100k one had two computers and a tank of compressed O2 running it and could sweat, cry, recreate lung sounds and change status based on treatment given.

4. Clinical Time - this is where the students do observations on an ambulance and in different departments in the hospital. They then start doing patient treatment and procedures under the watchful eye of their preceptors during their clinical time. They are applying what they have learned to real patients, in real situations. Talk about learning in context.

5. Textbooks - we use textbooks. The paramedic course textbook comes in 5 volumes, each of which is big, plus there are textbooks for CPR, Cardiology, Anatomy, ACLS and PALS. They are adjuncts to what they learn in class. They also receive tons of information in class and from a variety of sources, including web sites. The publishers of the textbooks also have some good online material.

6. Assessments - Students are assessed through practicals, written tests and quizzes, research projects, clinical reports. In order to successfully complete the course, they must have a minimum overall average as well as pass the final written and practical exams (10 stations). To get licensed, they must pass the National Registry written and practical exams. High stakes to be sure, but not just written. The practicals test their ability to apply their knowledge.


I think K12 education needs more hands-on, context based, application learning, such as with Project Based Learning. Clinicals could be replaced by more field trips, internships, shadowing professionals, and the like. Assessments should always be more than just a written test. And textbooks are one tool for learning, not the curriculum or main learning tool.

I also teach EMS Instructor courses, teaching EMTs and Paramedics to become instructors and educators. I stress all of the things that are important in education and all of the things that are important in EMS.


See Also:

Bridgeport Hospital EMS Programs

National Association of EMS Educators

The Educator's PLN - the personal learning network of educators

Personal Learning Networks are a great way to be a life-long learner and connect and collaborate with other educators. The Educator's PLN is a great resource to add to your PLN.

The Educator's PLN is an interactive site for educators that was created by Tom Whitby. Membership is free. On the main page, you can see summary of recent activity on the site and links to the rest of the site. There is a profile page that you can modify with your information and favorite pages. There are hundreds of educational videos, discussion forums, group pages, a chat page, a page with feed from the #Edchat on Twitter, and events page and more.

This site is a great place to connect and collaborate with educators, share resources, and learn.



Related:

Create a Personal Learning Network

Twitter Resources for Educators

Twitter for Education

Great quote for students and educators

I saw this quote somewhere online today and really liked it.

Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

This is a great quote for students and teachers, especially when the question "what can I do, I'm just one person" comes up.

Educators and students can do a lot to change the world. As educators, we should be encouraging our students to change the world using their talents. We should develop their talents and show them how a small group, or even individual, can make changes. In today's world of social networks and the web, a small group is even more powerful.

Discouraged by colleagues who won't go to PD without CEUs.

I've been sharing conferences and professional development opportunities (like EdCampCT, Day of Discovery, TechForum, and more) with my colleagues for years. Most are free. Yet I am very discouraged and upset by the response I get from many of my colleagues: "Will we get CEU's for this? If not, I'm not going."

This is sad. As educators, we should know better and be more motivated to go and learn to improve ourselves as professionals. Too many times, I see teachers attending really good, quality training, and not paying attention. They are only there to get their mandatory CEU requirements completed. They don't want to, or in some cases, care to learn anything new. Some of the veteran teachers also have the attitude of "what can they teach me?"

I want to improve myself as an educator. As a paramedic and engineer I did the same thing. I went beyond what I have to do for certification requirements and learned all I could. I took extra classes and went to conferences. I read journals on my profession.

Now, as a professional educator, I want to learn as much as I can. I read journals, spend time on Twitter learning from other educators, and attend conferences and unconferences. I even attend many virtual conferences. I am always learning and I always feel that I have something more to learn. I wish all educators felt this way.

Contests and Awards for Educators - great resources for all

Adobe Education Exchange is a great resource for educators, with resources, lesson ideas, lesson plans, and a place to collaborate with other educators. They are sponsoring a contest for educators - The 2011 Educator's Choice Awards that I've been blogging about lately, showcasing some of the projects educators have submitted.

What I like about these contests is that while they are a way for a company to get exposure for itself and it's products, it also allows teachers to get exposure for the kind of great work they do.

Teachers work very hard to come up with creative and engaging lessons for their classes and they should be recognized for this. There is no reason for them to work in isolation any more. In this day of Web 2.0 and Social Networking, sharing your lessons and projects is easier than ever. Your efforts can help another teacher who has been struggling to come up with a lesson on that same topic. I'm all for sharing materials and lesson ideas across education.

However, I do believe that educators who want to use someone else's ideas should ask for permission or at the very least give credit. I have many labs and activities that I've either used directly or modified somewhat that I have gotten from another teacher. I've asked permission for any that I can contact the owner of and give credit for all of them. "Modified from a lab by ________ " will be on the page.

Many other companies have educator forums and sites like Adobe does and the whole point of these is to bring educators together and help them learn from and support each other.

Take a look at some of the great projects in the Adobe Educator's Choice Awards and submit your own ideas.





Other Educational Sites sponsored by companies:

Microsoft Education
HP - Teacher Experience Exchange

Guest Post - On Teaching Children How to Learn

On Teaching Children How to Learn

Guest Post by Jeremy Fordham


There is perhaps no single greater challenge in parenting than teaching your child how to learn, and this is a process that requires nurturing an appreciation for the acquisition of knowledge. It requires pushing a child to enjoy challenging his or herself, to see “boring” subjects from interesting angles, to convince themselves to take an active role in their own education. Professionals have lots of opinions on why children lose interest in education as they grow older, but in the United states almost a quarter of college graduates are going on to pursue advanced degrees in a gamut of PhD programs, indicating that parents are definitely doing something right these days when it comes to instilling a life-long interest in learning. But just what exactly does it take? How can we increase the number of kids maintaining long-term interest in school? Or, at the very least, how can we maintain a long-term interest in learning no matter what a child’s ultimate decisions end up being? The trick is to start setting strong work ethics early on in life.

Preschool

Preschool doesn’t have to be a $30,000-a-year affair with entrance examinations and headaches in order for your child to get the most out of the experience. A very interesting study recently published in Science does a great job of quantitatively demonstrating the benefits of preschool. As highlighted and dissected by MotherJones, students who attended preschool, according to the study, had stronger high school graduate rates, higher college attendance statistics and had higher overall incomes compared to their non-preschool-attending peers. And while correlation is certainly not causation, myriad professionals have exhaustively addressed the importance of preschool in early childhood development.

There are innumerable reasons why preschool is so important when it comes to teaching children how to learn. According to Berkeley professor David Kirp, preschool comes at a time when children are in a crucial developmental stage. By placing a child in an environment where they can interact socially, hear words, build relationships with peers and exercise their sponge-like brains, kids hone life-long skills that make it easier to learn and succeed further on down the road. Preparation for the emotional and psychological aspects of education is one of the most important foundations necessary for developing strong study skills and learning habits.
At such an early stage of life, “instilling a strong interest in learning” seems like an elusive and impossible concept. But think about how easy it really is. Imagine if a preschooler is encouraged to figure out basic puzzles, or pushed to interact with the sounds that resonate from a piano when they touch the keys. In the most basic and most fundamental way possible, inspiring this sort of exploration at a young stage exposes children to the process of learning. Yes, it is difficult; yes, it requires motivation. But this is what makes it fun. It is entertaining to use your hands and figure out how a system works, and the more that a young child is exposed to that eureka! feeling, the more likely they are to pursue more of those moments as they grow older.

Furthermore, preschool helps bridge the gap in learning created by unavoidable socioeconomic stratification. According to Mr. Kirp, by age four children from a family dependent on welfare will have heard 30 million fewer words than those who come from middle class homes. This inherently dooms disadvantaged children to fall behind if parents do not act early on. Preschool is one of the greatest ways of ensuring that children are exposed to other minds like their own; of ensuring that they develop the critical keystone of their educational apparatus upon which they build as they grow older and are exposed to more external stimuli. Preschool is widely available and is a great way to start a child off on the right foot.

Parental Involvement

While preschool is a great way to develop the precursors of strong study skills, it should by no means be seen as a substitute for parental involvement in the educational process. The importance of familial connection and the organic benefits provided by parent-child interaction are unparalleled. There are a lot of interesting opinions on what makes a great parent, but the truth is that there is no unanimous answer to this question. Every child is born in unique circumstances that, very often, require variations in how parents need to approach learning. And no, stressing that a child performs at superior standards in school is not what is meant by an “approach to learning.”

Children need to be engaged by their parents in ways that promote critical self-reflection, as well as a reflection of the external world. Reading to a child, discussing current events, formulating opinions with them, inspiring structured (but simple) arguments, going on walks and asking questions about natural things--this is the type of organic interaction that encourages an a life-long interest in general education. Always remember that nobody is perfect--part of learning how to study well and retain information efficiently is learning how to do it incorrectly. Failure is an integral part of the learning process. All of the world’s greatest scientists didn’t formulate their theories overnight, and similarly, your child won’t become a great learner by asking just one question. Allowing children to develop their own unique interests, allowing them to pursue hobbies, ask questions and explore answers (within boundaries, of course), is one of the surest ways to help them figure out the right way to take in information--the right way for them. A strong natural inquiry translates into strong study habits, especially if a child has spent a lot of his or her time practicing in real, applicable ways that appease their own unique curiosity.

Additional Strategies

There are lots of different, existing strategies that a parent can take to help develop good study habits in children, especially when they’re older. Jennifer Viemont, a college success consultant of Deliberate Living, stresses the importance of concepts like time management and seeking outside help, which are somewhat complex ideas that are often best learned through trial and error.
Especially in today’s technology-laden world, time management seems to the bane of many teenagers’ existences. Lots of parents see their children complain that there just aren’t enough hours in the day!, only to see their teenager collapse in front of the TV or jump onto Facebook when they get home from school. In actuality, establishing a homework routine with an eight-year-old is much easier than with a teenager for obvious reasons rooted in psychological malleability. Teaching a child how to keep a calendar, budget time devoted to specific tasks, when to hang in there and when to call it quits are all essential in ensuring both educational success and general achievement as a working citizen. But these habits need to be ingrained early on if they are to effectively take hood. One of the largest blocks of successful studying and learning is emotional stress, and teaching children how to avoid this pitfall will boost their likelihood for success exponentially.

At the end of the day, developing study skills and lifelong learning habits is a complex process that involves delicate coordination of many ideas at many stages in a child’s life. A stepwise, knowledgeable approach to this ideology, however, has inevitable positive influence that, when combined with a little love, is sure to make your child an inquisitive person who not only enjoy new discovery, but who actively seeks it out.










Jeremy Fordham is a writer who assesses and promotes virtual PhD programs. He is an engineer who hopes to inspire dialogue in unique niches by addressing topics at the intersection of many disciplines.

Teacher Grade-ins - what a great idea to show the public what we do

I learned about teacher "grade-ins" from the CT Education Association blog (affiliate of NEA). The article talked about how New Jersey teachers came up with this idea and now it has spread to other states including my home state of Connecticut.

A grade-in when a group of teachers gather in a public space, like a park, shopping mall, or store (like a bookstore with a cafe), and grade papers and prepare lesson plans, in the evening or on weekends.

These grade-in's show the public what teachers do when they are not in school. The reaction from teachers and the public has been very positive. Unless you are a teacher, a room mate of a teacher, or have a teacher in your family, you probably think teachers work 7 hrs a day and get all these days off and the summer off. These grade-in's are showing the public how much work teachers do outside of school. I know that I work in the evening, on weekends, and even on "vacations" just like most of my colleagues. Reports from teachers participating have said that the public is responding well, and in some cases surprised, about how much extra work teachers do.

I think that this is a great idea. Besides showing the public what we do, it would also create more of a community with the teachers themselves instead of working at home in isolation. Make it social and productive. Create a wonderful new Professional Learning Community.

What do you think about this idea?



Resource:
http://blogcea.org/2011/06/13/grade-ins/

Educator's Reference Desk - great collection of resources for educators

The Educator's Reference Desk is a collection of resources for educators. Resources are in categories, such as Counseling, Grade Level, Subject, Educational Technology, Educational Management, General Reference and more.

There are also lesson plans, organized by subject and grade level, a question archive of questions sent to Ask Eric, and also a search link for GEM and ERIC.

It is a great, one-stop, reference site for educators.

Apply Business Practices to Education - great ideas that can help education

I’ve been thinking a lot about school reform and how we can make schools better. I’ve read the arguments from educators and politicians, and even those corporate giants who seem to know more about educating our students than teachers do. I’ve seen reports of successful schools and failing schools. As a former engineer and project manager, I do believe that business has some things that can be used in school to improve things for teachers and students. I do believe that some business practices can be beneficial to education. I’m not saying that we should treat students as products, but I have some ideas of how to use some business models in education.

I really started thinking more about this topic when I read an article about “The High School of the Future” in Philadelphia. It was started in 2006 and dubbed “The Microsoft School” because the company had helped design it. Now it seems that there are some serious problems occurring there, with seniors not eligible to graduate because the school didn’t focus on the standards and basics. There was too much emphasis on being unique and different without any real substance behind it.

This got me thinking about what would happen if some other well known companies and some companies I’ve worked for, had a hand in designing a school and it’s vision and curriculum.

I started thinking about Google and how they offer a lot of benefits to their staff. How they give their employees time to work on projects that interest them. Now, Google is not the all-perfect company, but some of their ideas are very good and make good sense. I also thought of some other companies I’ve worked for, like SVGL (now ASML) and UTC (Sikorsky Aircraft) and some of the things they did that made them successful. I’ve put together a list of ideas from these companies and how they could/should be implemented in schools.

1. Open up the curriculum and time in school. Give students more chances to work on projects of their choosing. Let them explore what interests them. Give them resources and support them in their learning. More independent study projects and group projects. (Just like things happen in the real world.) For example, if a student really loves music, then let them apply that love and interest in their classes - science of music, history of music, write a song, etc. Many current curricula are too fixed and inflexible.
2. Focus on the essential questions, thinking skills and essential knowledge students need to know. Some facts are important, but memorizing is not needed. Working professionals can look up information when they need to (including doctors and engineers) so why can't students use other resources? We want them to be able to communicate, work as a team, solve problems, and find resources when they need to. We don't need them to be able to recall trivial facts.
3. Provide study lounges with a snack bar, computers, games and couches where students could work on their projects and have a safe place to be. Make sure these study lounges are available after school also.
4. Provide students with free healthy meals and snacks. Good nutrition is paramount to success in school. Provide free or discounted meals to staff also.
5. Provide services, like daycare, laundry, etc. to employees to help them be able to more focus on their jobs. Daycare could be helpful for teen mom’s and could also be used as a teaching resource for students who want to learn about early childhood development or who want to be teachers.
6. Give teachers a vision and the resources they need and then let them do their job. Support them, don’t attack them. Help them when they need it. If there is training available that could help them in their job - send them for it. For example, when I was promoted to project engineer at one company, they sent me for project management training as well as supervision training since I was now supervising other employees.
7. Give teachers time to work with their colleagues on solving problems, addressing student issues, working on lesson plans, and networking.
8. Get rid of, or at least limit, meetings. Most companies know that work does not get done during a meeting. Schools and teachers get meetinged to death. With technology, we can collaborate in real time at our own location, limiting travel. And, most meetings are just to give out meeting - that information can be given out by email instead.
9. Health clinics at schools for students and staff. Allow staff members to utilize school-based health centers as part of their benefits. Staff can get basic medical needs taken care of during the work day.
10. Open the school to visitors. Have tours for parents showing them what goes on in the building. Let parents visit any time they want so that they can see what their children are doing.
11. Provide after hours programs for students so that they can work in the afternoon. Give them a safe place to work and learn, even after school.
12. Have the curriculum and plan be open so that students who don’t do well in the morning could come in later and work later. (Flex time in the business world).
13. Tuition reimbursement for staff. Education requires teachers to get advanced degrees, yet there is no financial help from their employers. Google has tuition reimbursement and United Technologies has a scholar program that pays for school up front and even gives employees time off to study. I know that budgets are tight, but these companies realize that a highly educated workforce benefits them. The same is true for teachers. And, the better educated, and trained, teachers are, the more they can do for their students and schools.
14. Provide real, timely, and useful training to staff. Too many times, teacher professional development is minimal, useless, hard to apply, or some new fad. I’ve received excellent training from my engineering employers and they paid for me to take outside training if it benefited my job. Most teachers I know have to find free training (thank goodness for unconferences) or pay for it them selves. Staff should also be given opportunities to explore their educational interests and not just the Professional Development that the school says they have to take. Choice is very important.
15. Appreciate your staff - administration needs to create a fun, inspiring workplace where teachers feel welcome and appreciated for their efforts.
16. Innovation - staff, and students, should be encouraged to think outside of the box when it comes to education and activities. The curriculum can not be canned, or from a textbook, it must be a living, breathing thing that can change as the world changes.
17. Utilize your resources - two companies I worked for had employees fill out surveys with their hobbies, interests, and other skills they have. The company then knew who they had in-house as resources in different areas.
18. Utilize Quality Improvement systems in schools. Six Sigma, ACE and other systems provide a way to find issues and solutions to those issues. They go beyond test scores and truly look at what the issues are. Root Cause Analysis is one example that works to find the real cause behind an issues. For example, a student is failing a class. Why - poor attendance. Don’t stop there, look deeper. Why is the student’s attendance poor? What outside issues are causing this.
19. Get organized - Some of these quality systems also have programs to get the workplace organized and more efficient. Most schools are very inefficient in the office and clerical side of things. Supplies are not well organized, paperwork, and even standard processes, like the start of school, are not documented for future reference.
20. Be competitive - in some ways, schools are competing against private companies, private schools, and other “opponents” and they need to be competitive. Don’t wait for someone else to come in and tell you there are problems. Find the problems yourself, and then use your resources to find a solution. Be creative and innovative in how you improve things. Take chances and go for it.

These are just some of the ideas I came up with from businesses and business processes that can and should be used in schools. What about you? What ideas do you have?

Some Common Education Myths Debunked

Educational Mythbusting

With everything going on with public education these days, I thought I'd take the time to "bust" some education myths.

Myth: Teachers get paid too much
Reality: we get paid fair or less than fair wages for the effort, training, professionalism, and work we do. But, we do it because we love it. We also spend a huge amount of our own money on supplies, resources, and conferences and education. In private industry, the company provides what you need to do your job. Not so in education.

Myth: Teachers get paid over the summer
Reality: some teachers can elect to have their salary divided up into 26 paychecks a year as opposed to 21. We don't get paid anything extra.

Myth: Teacher unions are bad
Reality: most teacher unions are a good thing. They fight for fair pay and working conditions for teachers, allowing a district to attract good teachers. They fight for class size and resources, making a better environment for students.

Myth: Tenure and unions protect bad teachers
Reality: tenure and unions just give teachers due process before firing. They push for assistance vs. adversary. I've seen tenured teachers who were union reps get let go because of their performance.

Myth: Education is too expensive, we have to cut funding
Reality: education is expensive, but it is worth it. It is an investment in the future, even if you don't have any kids. Everyone benefits from a strong educational system. There are places were education can be more efficient and money savvy, but cutting funding and teachers without proper plans lead to very bad outcomes.

Myth: Class size doesn't matter
Reality: class size is a major factor in student success. Smaller classes mean more time per student from the teacher and a more orderly environment.

Myth: We can't run education like a business
Reality: we can, but only in certain ways. Educational administration and planning is very inefficient and should adopt proven business strategies. However, we can not treat students as "product".

Myth: Teachers get great benefits for free, or low cost
Reality: Teachers get good benefits, that they pay for. I worked as an engineer for ten years before becoming an educator and I got much better benefits as an engineer in private industry than as a public school teacher.

Myth: Teach for America is a great program
Reality: Teach for America is a nice program that can help some school systems out in a crisis. But TfA puts inexperienced college graduates into schools with 5 weeks of training. What other job does that? Can you imagine a Doctors for America, Pilots for America, or Cops for America? Of course not. They other issue with TfA is that they are only required to teach for two years. It takes 3+ years to get settled and proficient as a teacher. Also, TfA costs lots of money from the government. I don't see why districts are hiring TfA candidates when there are fully certified and experienced teachers looking for work.

Myth: Charter Schools are the future of education
Reality: Charter schools do use tax money, are very selective in who attends, are able to have small class sizes and more resources, and yet the students at these schools don't do any better in testing than public school students.

Now, I didn't list references, but a quick search of the internet will show lots of information and resources.

Please share your thoughts with us.

Musings on education reform

I was just drinking a nice cup of coffee and relaxing during lunch when I had some thoughts about education reform.

1. Are US schools really as bad as people say? Or is the fact that we only evaluate schools based on tests the real problem? Are the tests even valid?
2. To make real, effective and productive changes to education, we need to involve educators, as well as students and parents. Today it seems that most education reform is being pushed by politicians and rich people who have never been in a public school and never taught. Would we allow non-doctors to dictate patient care (oh wait, politicians are in a way with health care "reform" which is as bad as the education "reform" they are pushing for.
3. There are plenty of best practices already available at hundreds, if not thousands, of schools in the US. Why don't we just look to them for ideas?
4. We also have to realize that one size does NOT fit all for education. Differentiation and teacher choice to modify things are extremely important to making students successful in school.
5. Not every student should go to college. Many students are better suited to trade schools and other types of job training. We should make sure every student is prepared to succeed in college, other advanced classes, and work.
6. Let's make it collaborative and not adversarial. Teachers are not the enemy of education. We are the main resource and these education "reformers" have to realize that.


What are your thoughts on "education reform"?

Incompetent Teachers or Dysfunctional Systems? Fix the system to support the teachers.

"Incompetent Teachers or Dysfunctional Systems?
Rather than blame teachers, we must ensure that teachers work within a highly functional system that
provides meaningful evaluations, high-quality professional development, reasonable class sizes, reliable
and stable leadership, and time for planning and collaboration."

This is the opening headline for an article by By Ken Futernick that was published in the October 2010 issue of Kappan Magazine

The article makes some very good points about teacher quality vs. the system they work in and how the systems need to be changed more than we need to get rid of teachers. Systems need to help teachers succeed, just like teachers need to help students succeed.

Another great quote: "Poor teaching results more often from poorly functioning systems than from individual shortcomings."

Read it for yourself and see what you think.

Excellent Education Model - WPI's Plan

Last night I saw a Tweet from Gary Stager "garystager: @chrislehmann Why not make high school like a great college?"


I thought that this was a great idea! I know college was a great experience for me and I learned much more than just content. In fact, I feel that my undergraduate degree prepared me for anything I want to do in the future. Let me explain.


I went to Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Worcester, MA. WPI is an excellent school, highly ranked, and offers an excellent educational experience. The school is small, with only 3,400 undergraduate students. But, the school is well equipped and well run.


The secret behind the school's success is the unique curriculum, called the WPI Plan, consisting of 4 quarters instead of 2 semesters, 3 large projects, and course curriculum that are mainly project based. Each undergraduate has to complete a Humanities Sufficiency Project, an Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP) and a Major Qualifying Project (MQP).


The Sufficiency is a 3 credit project and course sequence in the humanities which ensures that all WPI graduates are well rounded. Instead of students having to take meaningless core courses, they develop their own plan and sequence. I took a writing course to help improve my writing skills and then took a sequence of courses in US Government and Foreign Policy before doing my project on the political use of air power in the Vietnam war.


The IQP is a 9 credit project done in the junior year which relates science and technology to society. My group did a project on the Quality of Technical Education in the United States. As part of it, we did research on different programs, school systems, number of students taking technical majors (engineering, science, etc.) and then surveyed current engineers and scientists about their college education and what they thought was good and bad about it. We also looked at how well high school's were preparing students for these types of college majors.


The MQP is a 9 credit project done in the senior year similar to a Master's thesis. My group designed a Two-Stage-To-Orbit space craft. We had to do everything from project planning, to engineering design and analysis, to working with NASA (who sponsored the project) to get information and feedback. The project then had to be presented and defended in our department.


The project based curriculum helps students learn content and develop problem solving, communications, and teamwork skills. It also helps develop ethics and responsibility in the students. I found that my WPI education has prepared me for my career as an engineer, as well as an educator, and served me well in many capacities.


This plan stresses project based learning. Why? Because back when they developed the Plan (over 30 years ago) they knew that the only way to truly master subject area content is to apply it. They also knew that students needed to develop teamwork, communication skills, problem solving skills, creativity, critical thinking, and research skills (sounds like "21st Century skills" doesn't it?). WPI's symbol is the two towers of the first two buildings on campus. Lehr und Kunst. German for Theory and Practice, it's WPI's founding motto and the principle that still underlies the academic programs today. In class, in projects, and in research, students and faculty put knowledge into action to make the world better.

The projects are an integral part of the Plan. All classes are expected to use projects in their curriculum and the school has the three projects that all students must complete. The classes are taught by professors who are very dedicated to education, not just research. Each class is project based and emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving over memorizing data and facts.

I think that WPI was ahead of the game with their plan, considering this is the route that high schools and even middle schools are going. K-12 education is starting to realize how important these skills are and that project based learning is a great way to engage students while teaching them content and other needed skills.

I think that we can make more schools like WPI and do a better job of teaching our students the skills they need to know: teamwork, communications, problem solving, critical thinking, self-education and lifelong learning.

The students at WPI are given more control over their education by having the freedom to choose what they want to learn and how they are going to learn it. There are not a huge number of unneeded and useless "core" classes for students to take. Students create their own humanities program and their own educational plan. There is space in their schedule for them to take elective classes to explore new areas and topics. Students learn the basics and develop a fundamental literacy in each subject. Students do not memorize formulas and facts. They learn how to apply their knowledge to real-world problems and situations. For example, in Thermodynamics, we were taught the three laws of thermodynamics in depth. Then we were able to apply these to any situation instead of learning 10-15 different equations for different situations. This is in contrast to many schools who teach students every little equation for specific situations instead of teaching them the basics and how to apply the basics to any situation.

All of the learning, research and projects all have a purpose beyond just for class. Projects are all real-world applications or really are real-world projects. Student projects have included working to shore up the canals of Venice, design water systems for villages in Africa, developing medical equipment for disabled or sick patients, designing safety features for cars, and much more. This learning with a purpose gives meaning to what everyone is doing. This is very important in education.

WPI stresses teaching over research also and is very committed to the quality of the professors. Professors who have issues with their teaching or have poor reviews by students (each class has a evaluation form done by every student. These are taken seriously) are given support and help in changing and improving their teaching. They are not vilified. They are supported and helped and that means that they become better educators.

The WPI Plan is an excellent model for schools to use as a way to make education more personalized, engaging, relevant, and effective in preparing students for the future. The education there goes beyond preparing them just for the major they are in. The education prepares students for life. They are prepared to continue their education, adapt to new situations, and even change careers from engineering to education. It is truly a unique and effective way to teach and learn.

Related Posts:
http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/2010/04/great-educational-ideas-from-colleges.html
http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/2009/12/technology-in-use-in-engineering.html
http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/2009/10/wpi-open-house.html
http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/2009/04/project-based-learning.html
http://www.wpi.edu/News/Journal/Oct96/miracle2.html

Education issues and a rant by me

After seeing the news lately, reading web sites and blogs, and basically feeling like public education is under attack (some is warranted, but most is unfair) I replied to an article on MSNBC.


Here was my reply:

I love how businessmen and politicians think they know how to fix schools. Teachers know what's wrong and want to fix it but get no help. Parents need to be more involved, and actually help their kids, encourage them to go to school, and make school a priority. Teachers have to have support when dealing with kids who won't do their work, skip school, and cause problems. Most of the money "thrown" at schools ends up at the top - it never filters down to the classroom any way.

You want a longer school year? Pony up a lot of money - increase salaries, utility bills, air conditioning (can't have students in a 110 degree building). What about high school students who work to help support their families? An increased school day and year will limit that. 

To fix education, you have to fix the current culture in so many areas that school isn't important. Why go to school when you can get welfare like your mom? Why go to school when you can sell drugs like your cousin? Too many of our students want to be lawyers and go into financial jobs. These are the people who got this country messed up! We need doctors, engineers, scientists, machinists, manufacturers, and trades.

Also, not everyone should go to college. It's not for everyone. And, we need plumbers, mechanics, machinists, carpenters, electricians, construction, chefs, etc. They don't need college. Stop forcing every kid to go to college. 

Research, by the way, show's that the president's beloved charter schools are not really anything special. Many fail, many are a waste of money, and most don't do any better than public schools. And, these charter schools had more resources and could hand pick their students. 

Politicians don't have the answers because they don't even know what the real problem is. Let's get educators involved in this process and use actual research to fix things.

Let's keep the conversation going and make sure to spread the word to the public and politicians.

Survival Tips for Educators and Presenters

Being an educator is a great, responsible job. When we go out and educate, we need to make sure we are prepared and have back up plans. Here are some tips to make sure your presentation and training goes well. 

As educators and presenters, we can find ourselves at hotels, conference centers, school classrooms, training centers, garages, basements, outdoor venues, and much more. We need to know where we will be teaching and be prepared for that environment. Always get information about the facility and the resources available to you in advance.

Find out who your audience is, what they want to learn, and why they are learning it.

Prepare your lesson plan for your training program:

Know your material

Plan for unexpected 

Rehearse, Rehearse

Expect that something will not work

Your lesson plan for your presentation or lesson should include:

Title of lesson or presentation, concept/topic being taught, any standards addressed, goals and objectives, materials, procedure (lecture, demo, etc), closure, assessment and anticipated questions. You should include in your materials list the backup materials listed below.

TIPS:

Laptop - have spare battery or make sure battery is fully charged (in case of no power outlet)

Projector (lamps burn out, make sure yours isn't too old or have a spare lamp or projector)

Speakers - if you have video or audio content

Backup of files on a flash drive (problem with hard drive file, using a backup computer, etc)

Don't count on having internet access at the facility (use screen shots of websites)

Extension cord and power strip (in case facility doesn't have one)

Extra copies of handouts

Print out of lecture notes and information (in case of catastrophic failures you can use this to teach from. If you make copies of your lecture notes it's even easier.)

Flip chart with markers (for notes, etc. and also in case of hardware failure)

Can your files work on their computer? (software) - having them in a generic form like PDF is better than PowerPoint or Keynote

Have a backup projector or laptop available if facility is providing computer and projector

Bring a drink (water, etc) and a snack for yourself.

Notepad and pen for notes.

Dry Erase markers (in case facility has a board but no markers)

Materials for demonstrations or hands-on activities (bring extra and don't rely on facility to have what you need)

Take a deep breath before going up to present and relax. 

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Share your tips with us!