Reinforcement vs Motivation

This article got me thinking about how educators try to shape student behaviour. Incentives for mundane tasks do not improve self regulatory skills in the long term. We need to make sure that students are engaged and that tasks are meaningful.

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/edtechresearcher/2012/09/can_incentives_make_students_secretly_hate_us.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-FB

I really like Daniel Pink's insight into motivation. Have a look at an article on my website.

Teacher Characteristics

After reading this article http://edudemic.com/2012/09/the-3-characteristics-of-a-great-teacher/, I believe there is another quality or characteristic of a great teacher and that is resilience. I absolutely agree with the author about the other 3 characteristics - relevance, rigor and relationships - but without resilience, I do not believe that the other 3 can be sustained over time. Dr. Robert Brooks speaks of the importance of developing resiliency in children. In order for that to occur, teachers must demonstrate that quality themselves. The challenge for leadership is to develop resiliency in staff in order to embrace the changes necessary for education to continue to be relevant, rigorous and with productive in the cultivation of relationships

File Sharing

I think this update for google drive has many possibilities for the classroom. Students can use their mobile devices to edit a shared document. What an easy way to enhance collaboration.

I came across a great resource for teachers looking to embed technology into their classrooms. It's a simple list of software resources from Richard Byrne. Each tool listed has a brief description and addresses a different need within a classroom. Have a look.
12 Awesome EdTech Tools for 2012-2013

Student Blogging

This is what I love about using social media for professional development - teachers can share experiences and expertise and we can learn about what we feel is relevant and necessary for us at any point in time. I have been encouraging teachers for some time now to use blogging as a vehicle to increase student engagement in whatever topic you are studying. Here is an interesting article by a teacher from Wisconsin on blogging with students.

http://www.pernilleripp.com/2011/05/14-steps-to-meaningful-student-blogging.html

As teachers we must use relevant mechanisms to access the curriculum in order to increase student engagement and prepare students for their future. We are responsible to deliver the curriculum in a manner that is relevant in today's world. Student blogging is a step in the right direction. 

Communication Outside the Classroom Walls

What I've noticed as my daughter has grown older is how connected she is to her peers at other schools. She has a close group of friends that attend at least 4 different high schools. This is very different than my high schools days where your core peer groups was predominantly located at your own high school. She has regular conversations with friends from multiple schools within seconds. This evolution of communication is only beginning to become evident in our classrooms. Our classrooms need to experience more communication with those outside of the 4 walls of the room. This article by Jeff Dunn provides some great ideas about how to use Skype within the classroom. Given my background in special education, I can see the impact this tool would have on student engagement and experiential learning. Tools such as this allow educators to look outside the walls of the classroom in order to prepare students for life. Ministry or state curriculum may become dated but learning can always be relevant.

Social Media in the Classroom

Social media is becoming a tool that, once embraced by a teacher, can have a dramatic impact on instruction and communication with colleagues, parents and students. I found this article interesting.
http://edudemic.com/2012/07/a-teachers-guide-to-social-media/

Blogger to Go

I am going to start using my cell phone to update my blog with the Blogger app. Much of what I read is though the phone because of push notifications. I also like that I can easily upload photos during presentations. The photo is just a test...meet my dog Ozzie.

Just got back from the ASET Conference in Niagara Falls. It was another great opportunity to reflect on how we are preparing students for the future. We definitely need greater focus on the web 2.0 education opportunities to engage our learners, especially with declining funds for resources. By looking to the web to differentiate, we can engage students in any environment - in school, at home or on the street using the cell phones. I am going to test out the Google Chrome extensions, Speakit and Webnotes. 

Principal Presentation

For those principals who attended my presentation at the system principal's meeting, I would appreciate a comment expressing what has worked well when implementing assistive technology in your buildings. Please post  a strategy below so that I can share your successes with others within our system.