"Wooing the Literate Gamer"

CoverItLive Session on Cooked on Education by Mark Spahr:
Ruben Puentedura: Wooing the Literate Gamer

Interview as Inquiry Wiki

Sarah Sutter's Interview as Inquiry Wiki

Scratch Workshop Wiki

Sarah Sutter's Scratch Workshop Wiki

Twittering for Education

Update from Setting the Sail, the 2009 Summer Institute for teachers organized by MLTI.
It's 10:10 am, Friday July 31st (can you believe it???), and I just dropped in a session led by Shawn Kimball, which you may find on his wiki - http://twitterforeducation.wikispaces.com/.
Hope you will find it helpful.

OER, MLR & Wikis

MLR OER Workshop

MLR OER Home Page

Games for Change at Summer Tech Institute Castine

by Ed Latham and Olga LaPlante

Please select one of the questions below and respond to it as a comment. If you would like people to know who you are, but you do not wish to log into Blogger, you may include your name in your comment.


1. What do students need to know about a community's energy needs?

2. If students were given control of energy policy, what might the outcome look like?

3. Briefly share one example of an activity you provide students in which the student can quickly and easily try different scenarios to see results.

Videogames in Education

Ruben R. Puentedura, Ph.D.

Founder and President
Hippasus
228 Main Street, #412
Williamstown, MA 01267
(413) 441-6467
rubenrp@hippasus.com

http://hippasus.com

Videogames are becoming a progressively more important component of teaching today. They can provide learners with rich worlds and complex narratives that both enhance and transform their educational experience in previously unexplored ways. Because of this, we are pleased to announce that, as part of a joint research project between MLTI and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Dr. Ruben Puentedura has created a 14-part podcast series on videogames in education. This mini-course, available now in its entirety from iTunes U, provides educators with the knowledge needed to successfully use educational gaming in their classroom. The podcast series will be supplemented by ongoing posts and discussions on Dr. Puentedura's blog, with more materials to be announced in the coming months.

iTunes U URL:
http://deimos3.apple.com/WebObjects/Core.woa/Browse/education-maine.gov.
2246057621

Blog: http://hippasus.com/rrpweblog/

Welcome to the 2009 MLTI Summer Institute at Castine

"Setting Sail"

Wicked Decent Learning Call In Show

From Jeff & Dan:

"Join us for a Wicked Decent Listener Call In Show... Tell us what excites you about the upcoming school year."

"We are scheduling another Wicked Decent Listener show via Skype on Tuesday, July 28th at 8:00PM Eastern Standard Time. If you'd like to join us, all you have to do is..."

MORE . . .

Yong Zhao: A 21st Century Education

A 21st Century Education: No Child Left Behind and Global Competitiveness

Related: "A Tender Promise"

Aligning Open Educational Resources to the Maine Learning Results

Workshop LINK

Home Page of MLR Open Resources

Setting Sail at Castine

Setting Sail 2009, the MLTI Summer Institute, will be happening this week. For additional information, check here. Feel free to join the Learning in Maine Community to share information and happenings at the Institute.

Sign Up

Reading and the Web

Essential Question: Is there a difference between reading a book and reading on the Internet?

Audio Interview with Don Leu on New Literacies

NYT: Online, R U Really Reading?

DistrictAdministration: New Literacies

Don Leu et al.: "Toward a Theory of New Literacies Emerging from the Internet and Other Information and Communication Technologies"

David Warlick: "The New Literacy"

MICDL: Maine Professional Development Collaborative - New Literacies Research Lab

Avoiding Pretentious Words

"Never use a long word where a short one will do." ~ George Orwell

utilize . . .use
exceedingly . . .very
sufficient . . .enough
commence . . . begin (or start)
demonstrate . . . show
accordingly . . . .so
cognizant . . . aware
facilitate . . . assist
transform . . . alter (or convert)
assessment . . . test
implementation . . . taking action
initiative . . .project

Educational Jargon Generator

Weasel Words
Weasel Words: The Dictionary of American Doublespeak

Online Visual Thesaurus
Thesaurus.com

"I'm Here"

Thanks to the PLN, Ernie Easter, Deb Barrow, Paul Reynolds, and others for pointing this video out:

Playing with Words: Alliteration

"Avoid Alliteration Always - I do!"

Read•Write•Think: Lesson Plan: Alliteration in Headline Poems
Read•Write•Think: All About Alliteration
Alliteration Lesson Plans and Resources
Suite 101: Alliteration Lesson Plan
"I'm Going on a Trip" Game
Mrs. Dowling's Literature Terms: Alliteration
The Tongue Twister Database
1st International Collection of Tongue Twisters

Netbooks & Education

I just received my netbook in the mail this morning. It is an Asus Eee PC 1005HA-V 10.1-Inch Black. Wow . . . what a joy to work/play with this little gem today. I immediately switched out the 1 gig of memory for 2 gigs . . .then trashed the trial version of MS Office and some other unnecessary stuff. Before trashing Internet Explorer, I downloaded Google Chrome and Firefox. I then added OpenOffice, Audacity, Google Earth, SketchUp, Scratch, iTunes, Skype and Picasa. I noted that MS Moviemaker and Norton Antivirus were included with the original software . . . which was a plus.

I was pleasantly surprised how peppy the netbook is and how quickly it downloads photos, videos, and software files. Plugging it into a 20" flat screen monitor for work that might require more real estate worked without a hitch.

First Impression: It might be small, but this is no toy. It is a powerful device for getting serious work done. I was particularly impressed with how well Google Earth and SketchUp responded. Nifty!

Now, it could be argued that the netbooks are fine and dandy but that they don't have the necessary power for content creation such as higher end laptops or desktops . . . and that that is the direction schools should be headed, not in the direction of simply reading and writing text. For this viewpoint, read this:: The Netbook Fad in Education.

Here's a more balanced view: Netbooks or Notebooks?

Other reflections:

Learning in Hand - Netbooks
1 to 1 Netbook Trial
Clarence Fisher: OS and Education
Teaching with Netbooks
Richard Byrne: Netbook vs. Cheap Notebook Decision

It will be interesting to see what the verdict is on netbooks in education a few years down the road. Will they be durable enough to stand up to student use? Will they allow a new way of learning?



I invite you to add to the lists below. Who is going to start? Simply put your addition in comments and I'll add it here with your name.


What can netbooks do?


What can they not do?


Final question: Which list is going to be longer?

Education History

150 Years of Education in Maine

K-12 Education in Maine

American Educational History Timeline

History of American Education Web Project

John's History of Education

Wikipedia: History of Education

Gatto: The Underground History of American Education

American Educational History: Some Helpful Hints

SCHOOL: The History of American Public Education

The History of Education in America

Editable Archive on Education History at LIM Wiki

Photo Credit: Otisfield Schools @ Maine Memory

Corporations, Democracy & Schooling

In Life Inc., Douglas Rushkoff speaks of the dominance of corporations and how we all accept this as a given, not questioning motives or the effects on our humanity. This of course gets into the question, asked previously here, of whom schools are for? What should the purpose of schools be?

Life Inc. The Movie from Douglas Rushkoff on Vimeo.

Amazon: Life Inc.: How the World Became a Corporation and How to Take It Back

Alfie Kohn: The 500 Pound Gorilla: The Corporate Role in the High-stakes Obsession & Other Methods of Turning Education into a Business

Reclaim Democracy.org: Corporations and Our Schools

The Ninth Annual Report on Schoolhouse Commercialism Trends: 2005 - 2006

Consumers Union: Captive Kids: A Report on Commercial Pressures on Kids at Schools

PTAs and Commercialism in Schools

Deborah Meier: Democracy-friendly Education

Meier: What Does It Take to Build a School for Democracy?

Meier: Educating a Democracy

"The Rivals"

The 12th Annual Maine International Film Festival will be happening from July 10-19 in Waterville. Among the films will be a documentary by Lone Wolf Documentary Group on the football rivalry of two very different Maine towns.


MBR Comments
Morning Sentinel

Cape Elizabeth vs Mountain Valley - 10 Minute Sample

"Endangered Teachers"

Maureen Downey in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Medieval Times

Ellsworth Middle School Medieval Fair

Shire of Endewearde, Society for Creative Anachronism

Maine Renaissance Faire

Maine Renaissance Faire at Castle Treasure

Medieval at LIM Resources




Photo credit

Google Chrome OS

Google has announced a new operating system.

NYT: Google Plans a PC Operating System
Introducing the Google Chrome OS
Google OS Announced: How Will It Affect Apple?
Prediction: Google and Apple Go to War

Many questions are being asked in this move to "cloud" computing. Question 1: "What will happen when you go offline?" See some more questions here:

10 Things We're Dying to Know About Chrome OS

One final question: Is there a danger in Google having too much power?

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." ~ Lord Acton

"Partnership for 19th Century Skills"

Ever wonder who funds and is on the board of Partnership for 21st Century Skills?

Ever wonder when the major essential question of schooling became this:

"How do we create the schools America needs to remain competitive?"

Do you remember when the major goal was this:

"How do we create the schools America needs to create responsible citizens?

Diane Ravitch speaks to another side of learning at Common Core.

Susan Ohanian's take on this.

Also see earlier post: 22nd Century Learning

ACT - Professional Association for Citizenship Teaching (UK)

Featuring Hattie DeRaps

Hattie is an alternative education teacher at Mt. Blue High School. I discovered her work on Darlene Bassett's blog, Reflections on Meta-cognition - For Educators by Educators. Hattie makes great use of blogs, using them for professional development and as a tool for her students

Check these out:

Literacy Strategies in Action
Mrs. DeRaps Goes to College
Class Blog

10BP

10CD

10CJT

10CNB

10EG

10GT

10JK

10LA

10MH

Open Thinking

Wow, thanks to Dan Ryder at Wicked Decent Learning, I've discovered Open Thinking: Rants & Resources from an Open Educator. This is an incredible blog that you don't want to miss. In particular, check out "80+ Videos for Tech. & Media Literacy." Love it!

"Those Who Came Before"

Wicked Decent Learning Episode 71 with Jeff & Dan

WDL Blog

"Being Human in a Digital World"

Discussion on Brian Lehrer Show

"More Depth than Breadth"

Arne Duncan talks about education on the Brian Lehrer Show

National Standards

This is happening very fast. Questions need to be asked:

What should our schools' primary purpose be? Should it be to create a more efficient and docile workforce? Should it be to promote democratic citizenship with the ability to think critically, collaborate, and work as a team? Something else? All of the above?

Who is involved in creating the standards? Who should be?

See government site: Common Core State Standards Initiative

Check this article out in Education Week: "Expert Panels Named in Common Standards Push"

Other involved organizations: Achieve, Inc., ACT, College Board, NGA, CCSSO

Note that national educator associations such as NCTM, NCTE and ISTE don't seem to be included.

It is time to be vigilant and vocal.

Your thoughts?

“It is the supreme art of the
teacher to awaken joy in creative
expressions and knowledge.”

“Teaching should be such that what
is offered is perceived as a valuable
gift and not as a hard duty.”

~ Albert Einstein

Back to Maine . . . Thinking More Globally

After a whirlwind five days at the NECC09 Conference in Washington, D. C., we'll be boarding the ACTEM bus this evening for the return trip to Maine. This morning I'm sitting in Ballroom B to listen to the Alan November presentation on Global Learning.

Points from November presentation:

• Teaching ethics is important.
• What information and relationships do we need?
• What skills can we teach today that will outlast the technology?
• Globalize the curriculum. Think globally, act locally.
• Dissonance captures students' imagination.
• Zoom in so can't see it all . . . want to see rest.
• Need to give different type of assignment if want to avoid copy/paste game. Design assignments where cannot plagarize.
• Pedagogy trumps technology. Pedagogy should be taught along side with` the technical skills of a new tool.
• Assignments should compare and contrast global views . . . re-contexualizing content.
• Awareness of points of view and critical thinking is very important.
• Who owns the learning? Students should own the learning.
* Every classroom can be globally involved . . . .tools such as Skype. (Skype in parents).
• EPGY Stanford
• Engaging family is important.
• Every school should have a social network for sharing.
• Technology planning is not important. Ownership is. Who should own the learning? Who does own the learning?
• Classroom question walking out the door: "What just happened?"
• What do you do when you don't get it?
• host: nasa.gov to find number of pages of a domain
• Shifting Control to the Learner:

- Screencasting 12 Screencasting Tools, 5 Free Screencasting Tools
- Curriculum Review Bob Sprankle and Room 208
- How to find your own answers: Narrowing the Search: Create a Custom Search Engine
- Collaborative Tools Google Docs Collaboration with Google Docs
- Notetaking with recording devices (phones, laptops, etc.)
- Larger World, Social Responsibility Kiva Kivapedia
- Wikipedia, Creating classroom content wikis
- Teach children to work with other children. Lois Lowry, Number the Stars, see what other kids do on same topic around the world.