weblogg-ed

Reflections on attending ISTE 2010 primarily as a vendor, the allure and limitations of the exhibit floor, and why we value conferences that focus on authentic learning over shiny tools.

It has gotten to the point where we shudder every time we hear plans to “increase student achievement” or “improve schools,” because those phrases almost always mean one thing: raising standardized test scores. Far too little of what those assessments measure is what we care about as parents, and we need new ways to assess learning that value passion, problem solving, collaboration, and real-world impact.

Reflections on how digital tools like the iPad, Instapaper, Kindle, and interactive magazine apps are transforming reading from passive consumption into a more participatory, connected, and collaborative experience.

We keep blocking Facebook instead of teaching it, even though most of our students use it and few understand privacy, reputation, and public exposure in that space.

From the “Shameless Self-Promotion Dept” comes this new book 21st Century Skills: Rethinking How Students Learn, featuring our chapter “Navigating Social Networks as Learning Tools,” and some interesting thinking about how networked learning is reshaping literacies, pedagogy, and the future of classrooms.

So, let me say at the outset that I love books. All my life, I’ve been a reader of books. I have at least…

It was our great honor to serve on the 2010 K-12 Horizon Project Advisory Board this year, and our report was released a couple of days ago. If you want another piece to add to your “compelling case for change” argument, it’s worthy of your consideration.

Reflecting on the National Educational Technology Plan’s call for “connected teaching,” this post explores how technology can transform teaching into a team activity, reshape professional learning, and reposition teachers as learners within connected online communities.