Comments on: What Do We Need?

By: Janice Friesen

Janice Friesen — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:24:50 +0000

A growth mindset-see book by Carol Dweck. this is pretty hard to measure, but I think makes a huge difference.

By: Janice Friesen

Janice Friesen — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:24:49 +0000

A growth mindset-see book by Carol Dweck. this is pretty hard to measure, but I think makes a huge difference.

By: Mary S

Mary S — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:53:34 +0000

I skimmed over the list and the comments, but living in the country (read: sticks), the one thing I see on your list that frustrates me the most is #2 in technology. It costs upwards of $80/month for internet access outside of a major city. Seriously. My students have lovely access with a T-1 line at school, but most have no way to access the same material from home.
In general, though, I love your ideas and implement as much as I can within the classroom.

By: Jay Priebe

Jay Priebe — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 03:03:24 +0000

Will, Just wanted to drop in this link to a document we use from ISTE. It is not the same focus as yours, but I find it useful in considering all the facets that need to be in place to make technology successful. ISTE Essential Conditions

By: Glynda

Glynda — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:56:33 +0000

1. Administrators that not only support technology but also model using it daily
2. A well written Internet Acceptable Use Policy that allows students to use the Web 2.0 tools they need with appropriate safety instruction

By: 21st Century Learning and Progressive Education « Kassblog

21st Century Learning and Progressive Education « Kassblog — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:23:25 +0000

[...] education technology bloggers (1, 2, 3) have issued a call to transform schools into “21st century” learning institutions. [...]

By: Radney

Radney — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:18:09 +0000

I think there needs to be an item that causes teachers to assess whether their adoption of given technologies in the classroom is really stimulating the learning process. I’m not at all a luddite, but I think some new technologies might actually be counterproductive depending upon their actual use in the classroom (as, say, when a particular technology focuses attention upon the knowledge of the teacher in regard to the subject matter and away from attention upon student-initiated learning, or when the technology is so entertaining and interactive that students are tempted to passivity). Just an idea…

By: John

John — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:32:24 +0000

Will,

As a new Principal, I agree with your Change management list wholeheartedly, as I am asking my teachers to step outside their comfort zones and do more with technology in their classrooms than they ever have. This includes letting the students make more of the decisions when it comes to how they want to learn the curriculum.

Bobby G has got it right. Students will be included in our Campus Improvement Committees for the first time.

I have started a webpage that includes this blog and several others that are techonolgy or information leaning for them to read so we can start the conversation and begin the process of building the personal learning networks needed to make the changes you are writing about.

Wish me Luck and thanks for your efforts.

By: Rob Paterson

Rob Paterson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:11:09 +0000

Will
Others have mentioned the bridge to parents – my kids went to a coop scholl where the parents owned the school – the level of commitment was huge.

An idea from “out there” the web is itself a metaphor for how the natural world works. School as we know it is a metaphor for how a machine works. The machine metaphor is still so dominant – so I would add having a school garden where not only the kids learn how to grow food but also learn in a hands on way how nature’s core processes work and then use that pragmatic experience in the entire curriculum.

By: Will Richardson

Will Richardson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:41:03 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Bobby. I hear you, and I totally agree. I think in the context of this list, students need to be a part of the conversation in general and the creation of the vision in specific. I’ll make that more explicit as I write.

By: Will Richardson

Will Richardson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:38:41 +0000

Those are great questions, Josie. Wish I knew the answers. All I do know is that too many efforts around change are haphazard, and I’m hoping more of a clear path will be helpful. But you’re right; the odds of all of these coming together are probably pretty slim.

By: Will Richardson

Will Richardson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:35:17 +0000

I don’t disagree, and I also don’t think the two are mutually exclusive. We need to do nature, and we need to do tech. We’re not doing either very well in most schools.

By: Will Richardson

Will Richardson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:33:37 +0000

Chris is an amazing leader, no doubt, and I agree that SLA would be a much different place without him. I do think there are lots of different styles of leadership that could facilitate this shift, however.

By: Will Richardson

Will Richardson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:29:44 +0000

Thanks Rachelle and Kristen for those thoughts. I think I’m seeing the library and librarians as a part of the curricular mix, certainly in the sense of being information leaders with technology.

By: Will Richardson

Will Richardson — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:26:48 +0000

Absolutley.