The Schoenblog

“This is the Most Exciting Time!” Reflecting on #EdCampNJ & #NYSCATE15

Monday, November 30, 20152:26 PM

Last week was a busy one for me as I attended and presented at both #EdCampNJ and #NYSCATE15. At EdCampNJ, I hung out with friends new and old and helped lead sessions for #BreakoutEDU and #GoogleExpeditions. The highlight was definitely helping facilitate a discussion and demo of Expeditions with Dani and with Jonathan Rochelle from Google. Then, from Sunday to Tuesday, Dani and I drove way up Rochester for the New York State Computer and Technology in Education annual conference. NYSCATE is the NY ISTE affiliate, and this was probably the largest conference I’ve ever attended. We presented on backchanneling in the secondary classroom and you find our presentation here.

It was so cool to present with Jonathan, talk GAFE, and share Expeditions with so many teachers. We ran two sessions, and both were packed. He had 3D printed pencil toppers and logos of Expeditions and other Google Apps, which were so cool. It was great meeting new friends, reconnecting with the great NJ connected educators, and spending so much time with friends & #PLN. Another highlight was almost recording a live episode of The House of #EdTech with Chris Nesi and AJ Bianco. We had some technical difficulties, so our co-hosting never hit the airwaves, but we will try again soon.

Recording episode 49 of #HouseofEdTech with @mrnesi @AJBianco at #edcampnj #selfie pic.twitter.com/XA4sJGjAg2
— Adam Schoenbart (@MrSchoenbart) November 21, 2015

.@jrochelle @googlecardboard @GoogleForEdu #gafe #googleexpeditions pic.twitter.com/MwtEyOYrus
— Dani Kennis (@kennisdani) November 25, 2015

At NYCATE, I also had a great time learning, connecting, and presenting. The highlight here was definitely listening to and connecting with great keynote speakers and leaders, like Jaime Casap, Tom Whitby, David Pogue, and Tom Murray.

Usually, I hate keynotes. Even when the speaker is engaging, I’m rarely sure it’s the best use of my time at a conference. I would rather choose my sessions, connect and network, and be in control of my learning. Usually. But these keynotes were different; Monday’s keynotes from David Pogue and Jaime Casap shined with their humor, humility, intelligence, and insights into the world, education, and technology. They truly made me laugh, reflect, and think to the future, and also provided the title for this post and the throughline for my reflection. Pogue focused on the role of disruptive technology and how technology, its changes, and impacts affect education. Casap empowered the audience, reminding us about our power as educators in today’s world. Both shared really timely thoughts about the role of technology and education for today’s Generation Z.

“This is the Most Exciting Time!”

David Pogue reminded us that while technology is disruptive and forcing change, that’s always been the case. Society has been always been afraid of or resistant to new technology. But change is scary, and fear can be a good motivator towards innovation and understanding. Whether it was fear of the airplane causing coronaries or the microwave’s cancer rays, fear of technology is a part of our world.

Hilarious and entertaining keynote from @pogue! Disruptive tech @nyscate #nyscate15 pic.twitter.com/31NNVsG9Rd
— Dani Kennis (@kennisdani) November 23, 2015

Jaime Casap, Google’s education evangelist, delivered the second keynote of the day, and the two complemented each other beautifully. He reminded us how much technology has evolved by asking, “Do you remember? We used to have to call the Internet. And the Internet was busy!” He focused his ideas on the power of education on his life and that of his students. According to Casap, we live in a world of iteration and creation--even Google is updated hundreds of times a year--and that world is constantly changing, requiring innovation and collaboration. “It’s a much more beautiful world when I don’t feel alone in it,” he so poignantly remarked.

Jaime's keynotes had so many great ideas, and a few that I’ve heard and often used in my own classroom and trainings, but didn’t even know came from him. By far the most powerful was his push to change the way we ask students about their futures:

Change the conversation from, "who do you want to work for," to "what problem do you want to solve!" #edchat #edtech pic.twitter.com/JMKks8l5xR
— Jaime Casap (@jcasap) November 27, 2015

Powerful question with powerful answers. #nyscate15 @jcasap pic.twitter.com/YEBIIs1W1r
— Dani Kennis (@kennisdani) November 23, 2015

Jaime Casap concluded: “This is the most exciting time. We are creating the future of education. We are just getting started.”

This is the most exciting time. We are creating the future of education. #nyscate15 @jcasap pic.twitter.com/BclHNIJJHw

— Adam Schoenbart (@MrSchoenbart) November 23, 2015

This is what stuck with me a week later. Whether it’s Google Expeditions, wearable and disruptive technology, or connecting and collaborating across the world, we are in a time of unprecedented innovation and change in education, in technology, and in the world. Both of these conferences, and these two keynotes in particular, left me exciting about the world we teach and learn in, but even more excited for the future. We are just getting started.

Evaluating the National Educational Technology Plan: An Overview

Wednesday, November 25, 201510:36 AM

When the Internet Fails: 4 Non-Tech Strategies for Student Engagement & Learning

Wednesday, November 18, 20157:25 PM

It’s Monday morning. I woke up early to get some work done before school, arriving at 6:40 AM. I have almost an hour before the day officially starts. I log on, type in my password, and see the worst possible response: Server tree not found. I rush to another room, another computer, anything! But there is no hope--the internet is down! I immediately make phone calls and send texts in a panic--even sending out my favorite new Bitmoji for bad news--however will I teach?

Game over! Or is it? And should it be?

I love technology. I want to use purposefully to change teaching and learning, and almost every day, I think I do. But technology is a tool, and needs to be used with purpose and for effect. Teachers need to plan, have concrete goals, and solid expectations for student learning and achievement. And we also need to be able to adapt, change things on the fly, and sometimes, make a shift back to the stone age. The US Office of Educational Technology and the Obama Administration wants every students to have an internet capable device in school and at home, but this isn't a reality yet. Even in a district like mine, where tech is the norm and the WiFi is a given, we have problems. Not all our systems have the necessary infrastructure yet. Sometimes, there are problems outside of our control. Yes, we should be able to depend on consistent teaching enviornments, but days without the internet also make me think about what a crutch technology can sometimes be.

Before you use technology, ask yourself whether or not it’s necessary, purposeful, or changes teaching or learning. If not, don’t give up on the tried-and-true strategies that have worked for so many years. I love change--and there’s so much wrong with education today--but there are also valuable things we do right, and many don’t need technology.

4 Non-Tech Strategies for Student Engagement & Learning

1. Students Create & Present

Do you ever miss the days when students created a poster? A brochure? Something hands-on without the computer? In my high school classes, those days are long gone. Now, the activities I named above usually lack an authentic audience, but I think there’s a lot of value in hands-on creation. I think about my day with the #MarshmallowChallenge (see Everything I Know I Learned From the #MarshmallowChallenge) and learning in maker spaces. Why not bring hands-on learning and creation into your classroom? Focus on students doing something, and then presenting it to their peers. Technology is often a complete crutch for students who lack presentation skills. Build these skills before allowing the comfort of the Smart Board or other presentation tools.

2. Have an Argument!

So much of the Common Core focuses on arguments and evidence-based claims. Debate, argue, and defend ideas over any number of topics. Which math skill is the hardest? Why? Who would make a better president? Would you rather live in outer space or under the sea?

Last year, I had students work in groups to craft arguments in ten minutes and then held mini-debates in class. Their peers voted on a winner and gave feedback. Just this week, I scrapped my plan for a written anticipation guide and had students get up, move around the room, and defend their ideas. We shifted across the room, standing in a line representing the strength of our opinions, agreeing and disagreeing with statements from the text.

English 10 moving around the room with four corners. Are we responsible for our peers? #SchoenTell #OssiningPride pic.twitter.com/ek9my74UGx
— Adam Schoenbart (@MrSchoenbart) November 16, 2015

3. Free Write

I love a creative writing prompt to get kids thinking. Keep it fun and light, while developing argument and public speaking skills, along with writing-on-demand and creativity. Pose a question to students like, “Would you rather be a pirate, viking, or ninja?” or “If you could have any superpowers, what would they be? Why?” Make sure the question is open ended and push students to support their ideas, no matter how crazy they become. I like to have students write silently for ten minutes, then share with their groups, and finally, to the class. That way, all voices are heard and students are active and engaged for most of the lesson. Another strategy is to use an image to tell a story about or explain a situation for. See the image below for an example of a good free write starter prompt:

4. Reflection or Synthesis of Learning

Metacognition and reflection are essential for learning and growth. Have student reflect on learning, formally or informally. Whether it’s through a brief survey or discussion, or a more formal reflection or portfolio, any time students think about their progress is meaningful. My students just wrapped up research presentations introducing the Holocaust, and they evaluated their successes, learning, and challenges with this form.

Also consider exit tickets, what stuck, or another type of synthesis, assessment, or reflection tool. Make sure students are clear about what they learned (or should have learned) in class so you are clearer about how to move them forward.

What are your favorite non-technology tools, strategies, or activities? How do you feel on that dreaded day when the internet goes down?

What My Students Think About #GoogleExpeditions

Monday, November 16, 20156:06 PM

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of participating in the Google Expeditions Pioneer Program. I helped organize the day, recruit teachers, and facilitate the field trips, which I wrote about in a previous post: My Day With Google Expeditions. I loved the engagement, wonder and possibilities that Expeditions provided, and was thrilled to bring it to Ossining.

The next day, I asked both students and teachers for immediate feedback to explore what they thought, too. The results were clear: students and teachers enjoyed Expeditions and liked learning from and with them, but there is room for improvement. They were excited by the 360 degree functionality and the graphics, but many felt uncomfortable with the Cardboard devices, and some even nauesous. A handful asked for more interactivity, like sound, video, and higer resolution images. Some teachers said that it was hard to plan for because the Expedition descriptions are vague and can't be previewed beforehand. And all of these criticisms are spot on.

But so are the good things. They want to do it again. They want to create and have students create their own. And they realize the potential for Google Expeditions to change education.

The Survey

Below, find an overview of the data from this survey from eight teacher and 146 student participants. The survey included eight quantitative questions, with a response scale of Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree, and five qualitative questions. They all asked about students' enjoyment, learning, comfort, and desire for more. Screenshots of the form results summary and pull quotes form the qualitative questions are excerpted blow. Find the survey here and the full results linked at the bottom of this post.

What My Students Think

"i thought it was a cool experiment but if we were able to mover around more i think it would be a more fun and engaging experience"
"I liked the google expeditions because I liked seeing places in depth that I've never been before. I didn't really like it because I almost threw up the period after."
"I enjoyed using google expeditions because of the fact that the teacher is able to teach about a location and the students are able to be looking at what the teacher is teaching like if one was there in real life. Also if the teacher wants to show you something specific in the expedition he/she can pick a spot and on everyone's expedition it will show an arrow to where the teacher wanted to show you. What i didn't like was the fact that it made you nauseous after using it. It makes you want to not look at the expedition as much."
"I liked it because we went to different places without having to pay or leave, i didn't like how it hurt my nose and eyes, it also gave me a headache."
"I disliked google expeditions due to the fact that you're pretty much just looking at a fancy photo, you aren't getting the actual experience of a field trip. It would just be easier for a teacher to give a power point with images from the location and give the class questions."

"We talk about so many different places within classes that you would think we would never be able to see or visit, but expeditions gives students a chance to actually see places a little more realistically than in pictures."
"It really encompassed a new learning experience that I would like to use as it gave real life experiences in a classroom setting, allowing it to stay put in our memory."
"It allows me to see visually what my teacher is lecturing on which is really helpful in remembering certain details. It's easier to remember what my teacher says if I can link it to images in my mind. It's much better than looking at a single square picture, instead I feel like I'm having an experience in the expedition."
"Google Expeditions was a good companion to a lesson because it engaged the class (though part of this was likely just the novelty of it, and a class would not be so excited about a Google Expedition lesson if such lessons were commonplace), but it could not function as a lesson in itself. Google Expeditions would be a good enhancement to learning if it were integrated into lessons in which a concept that is difficult to picture in one's mind is being explained, or in which the teacher wants to greater the students' understanding of a specific location or scene."

"Google Expeditions enhances learning because it allows students to travel to the place they are learning about without ever leaving the classroom. Being able to see a place in a 3-D sense replaces the need for 2-D pictures that a student would normally see on a power point slide."
"My experience with Google Expeditions was great. I liked that you are able to look at different places and learn about the places. It is a good learning experience. Something that i disliked is that after a while it starts to hurt your eyes and after a long time it starts to give you a headache."
"It was a nice idea, but could be improved. The device itself was uncomfortable, especially the lens; it would make me a little disorientated after use for a few minutes. The lens also make the image blurrier than the phone image, which just ruins the experience. A third and final complaint which is not as big of an issue as the others is having to hold it. It would nice if there was a strap or something that would make it hands-free."

"I think it just took time away from actual learning I don't think it accomplished much, besides making a group of 20 kids nauseous. Also you don't learn much because kids are too busy fooling around looking at the image instead of listening to the teacher."
"I just wish it was more in place so I would not feel nauseous and dizzy."
"It would be great if the dizzy/nausea factor could be removed."
"Google Expeditions would be improved if it had more options for student class participation, such as allowing students to input responses or add the arrows that the teacher used during the sample lesson from their own goggles/devices."
"What prevented the complete immersion was looking at the tops and bottoms of the photosphere." "They're either empty, distorted or had a sort of watermark."
"Google Cardboard could be using in conjunction with YouTube to view the 360 videos."

"If I could create my own Expedition, I would make one of Hogwarts (from Harry Potter), and I think it could also have a great application in other fantasy scenes. However, I also think it would be great to make Expeditions of cell and atomic models (for science classes) or scenes/societies in certain times in history (for history classes) for a more integrated understanding."
"If i could create my own, I would travel everywhere. From the past to the present day. Everywhere in the world. Though number one would be Tokyo, Japan."
"If i could i would go to the capitol of Brazil because of the nice beaches that are there the hotels and many more good looking places. I feel like it would be cool to go there and learn something more interactive. It espallcy is cool to be able to do a 360 degree turn it makes it even more real like if you were there."
"If I can create my own Expedition, i would create one of new york city during Christmas and new years"

What My Teachers Think

Teachers were asked the same questions as students but they were geared towards their students' learning. Overall, almost all teachers strongly agreed or agreed with all of the questions. One disagreed that students were engaged, two on physical comfort, and one on the desire to create or have students to create Expeditions. Otherwise, the results were consistent.

Here are some of their written responses:

"The visual and interactive qualities made it very engaging for the students. My only dislike was that I planned a lesson not having a clear idea of the details or what would be seen. I also thought that the some of the locations could have had more images and details. For example, Edinburgh castle only had a street view, one room and a view from the roof. I thought we would actually be in more rooms and locations in the castle."
"I liked that there were guiding questions for the expeditions. My only concern is that some students did not react well, physically."
"I was impressed, it was definitely a change of pace for the students. Also, the positive reactions of some prompted more participation from those who were not interested at first. I liked how I could direct their attention to certain things, although I wish it allowed for more mobility to really explore."
"Instead of just talking about a place, I was able to bring my students to the place. This is not a tool that can be used to replace a lesson, but is a tool that can most definitely enhance a lesson."
"Hardest part of Social Studies is bringing to life people long dead or places long gone. This helped bridge that gap a little."
"To improve: Real time? Movies? Sound? Also, many students (and teachers) reported feeling motion sickness."
"I would like the students to be able to read the info and see questions on their devices. Also, I worry that after a few expeditions the novelty might wear off. Any way to make it more interactive for the individual would help."

The Full Data

Getting to participate in the Pioneer program was awesome, and I'm glad I now have the data to prove it. Share your experiences with or ideas for Expeditions in the comments or on Twitter. Also, you can find more data and responses in the links below.

Shift Happens: How Do We Make 21st Century Change in Schools?

Wednesday, November 11, 20155:05 PM

This year is my first as a technology coach in my school. So far, I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve been able to help plan and facilitate professional development for a large staff and to have a hand in shaping the plan and vision for technology integration. I also spend half of my day teaching 10th grade English, so I’m able to tie my coaching and PD into my own classroom instruction. So far, so good--I thought. And then came the words that have been playing back in my head for a day now.

While discussing a plan for future technology PD, my friend Tina reminded me: “There’s more to instructional technology than tools.” Duh. I know that. If you’re reading this, you likely know it, too. But she was totally right--for whatever reason we weren’t talking about that. We were focusing on tools, resources, and sometimes skills, not shifts, pedagogy, or transformative learning. If I want to be a catalyst for change so badly, why weren’t these the conversations we were having? Why wasn’t I contributing to the bigger picture?

Maybe (and probably--I hope), I’m being hard on myself. I’m generally happy with the impact I’ve had so far. Teachers in my department are using technology meaningfully, purposefully, and regularly like never before, and I see change happening right now. But in planning the big picture, these ideas have been fairly absent. In August, I wrote a post titled 5 Big Shifts for My Classroom in 2015, explaining how I wanted to focus on student-centered learning, creation, connected learning, communication, and communities of learners. And in my classroom, I think I’ve had success. Now I need to apply the same goals to the big picture; 21st century shifts in my classroom are great but only affect my students. Shifts in teachers’ mindsets and practice have an exponential impact.

Change is hard. And it’s scary. Maybe I subconsciously shied away from what I know I know so well: change is uncomfortable but necessary. Good leaders help lead transformational change with buy in and payoff. Sometimes, that buy in will come from a tool that can save a teacher time or make their online work more effective. But that won’t prepare our teachers or students for tomorrow on its own.

Questions & Answers

I don’t really have any answers here, but I think I have some of the questions:

What are the most important shifts in 21st century teaching and learning?
How should professional learning, development, and coaching shift to help facilitate these changes?
What concrete strategies can coaches and leaders use to help facilitate these changes?

Without answers, all I can do is start small, and focus on the objective. I want to promote student-centered classrooms, with the purposeful integration of technology and active learning and creation. I want teachers to put their trust in students as self-directed learners, leaders, and creators, and to step back and facilitate their progress. Lastly, I want to see teachers and students communicate and collaborate because all of us are smarter than one of us.

As I thought about these ideas and concepts, I started to do my homework. Below, find a handful of articles that I read today that shed light on these ideas. Over the next few weeks, I plan to continue to develop these ideas and would love for you to add to the conversation.

The Schoenblog

“This is the Most Exciting Time!” Reflecting on #EdCampNJ & #NYSCATE15

“This is the Most Exciting Time!”

Jaime Casap concluded: “This is the most exciting time. We are creating the future of education. We are just getting started.”

Evaluating the National Educational Technology Plan: An Overview

When the Internet Fails: 4 Non-Tech Strategies for Student Engagement & Learning

4 Non-Tech Strategies for Student Engagement & Learning

1. Students Create & Present

2. Have an Argument!

3. Free Write

4. Reflection or Synthesis of Learning

What are your favorite non-technology tools, strategies, or activities? How do you feel on that dreaded day when the internet goes down?

What My Students Think About #GoogleExpeditions

The Survey

What My Students Think

What My Teachers Think

The Full Data

Shift Happens: How Do We Make 21st Century Change in Schools?

Questions & Answers

Ken Robinson’s “Changing Educational Paradigms”

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