Clif's Notes

Multiple Representations of Understanding through Digital Media

I’m enjoying the North Carolina Technology in Education Society’s 2010 Conference in Raleigh, NC. I’m excited about being one of the featured speakers and having opportunities to work with and learn from classroom teachers, media specialists, administrators, and more.

Today I’ll be sharing a pre-conference workshop on Multiple Representations of Understanding through Digital Media. This energetic session will demonstrate that with freely available digital technologies students can demonstrate their understanding of course content in multiple ways (images, audio, video, presentations, artwork, and more). Each student’s end product (learning artifact) allows them to personally self-express their understanding/mastery of the content/skills. Although teachers may not be comfortable using all of today’s technology it is important to consider allowing students to use it to communicate their understanding as they are often more naturally able to more fully express themselves with digital media. The PowerPoint presentation is below and the full workshop notes are available on my wiki. Note that the links and logos in the PowerPoint presentation are clickable.

• Multiple Representations of Understanding with Technology
• NCTIES Conference
• Day 2: MECA 2010
• Games and Simulations in Education: A Resource List for Newbies

Brain Rules for Teachers and Presenters

Hat tip to Miguel for bringing this to my attention.

• TN DOE Partners with iTunes U
• Meme – Passion Quilt
• Teachers’ Online Identities
• Pay Attention

I Need My Teachers To Learn 2.0

• Elementary Teachers, I Need Your Advice
• Reply to Miguel Guhlin
• Learn with Us (IDT7078)
• AudioBoo in the Classroom (Thinking Out Loud #3)

Connecting the Classroom and Outside World (Feedback Requested)

Educators, what are some strategies for connecting the classroom with the outside world?

NOTE: I’d like to share responses in an upcoming workshop/presentation and on my blog and wiki. You can submit your ideas using the form below, share your text/audio/video reply in the Comments section of this post or respond via Twitter, Plurk or on your blog using the tag #thruwalls. You can also view the compiled database of suggested strategies on my wiki, Learning Telecollaboratively.

Share this post using http://tr.im/104.

Conversation tag: #thruwalls

• Connecting the Classroom and Outside World
• Students and PLNs (Feedback Requested)
• Educators and PLNs (Feedback Requested)
• Reply to Miguel Guhlin

21st Century Schools

Dr. Stephen Heppell’s video about 21st century schools provokes you to consider what lies ahead. Wes Fryer states that this video “makes a strong case for blended learning where the learning connection between home and school is seamless.”

• Do Schools Kill Creativity?
• Will Ed Tech Win in 2008?
• President Advocates Merit Pay and Charter Schools
• Lowe’s Toolbox for Education

Did You Know 4.0

I’ve been developing workshops for the BILD Institute for the past couple of months and I’ve discovered/rediscovered many quality resources about educational reform, instructional design, technology integration, and innovation as well as many new web tools and services. I hope to share much of this with you here on this blog (You can also go ahead and access it on the BILD Institute site.). The first resource I’d like to share is this recently updated version of the Did You Know/Shift Happens video (See previous versions here, here and here.). “This is another official update to the original Shift Happens video. This completely new Fall 2009 version includes facts and stats focusing on the changing media landscape, including convergence and technology, and was developed in partnership with The Economist.” (Source)

• Did You Know?/Shift Happens
• Wordles of Every Inaugaration Speech [Video and Gallery]
• Memphis City School Receive $90 Million Grant
• Suggested Mac Software

Lowe’s Toolbox for Education

Lowe’s will donate $5 million to public schools and public school parent teacher groups – at more than 1,000 different public schools per school year…Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) knows how hard you work for your kids and your community and we’re dedicated to helping your parent-teacher group achieve even more for your school. Apply for our Toolbox for Education Grant now and build on your already impressive parent group success with Lowe’s…The deadline for submitting applications for this grant cycle is October 16, 2009. (Source)

• U.S. Secretary of Education Requests Feedback on Technology in Education
• Deadline for NECC Proposals Approaches
• President Advocates Merit Pay and Charter Schools
• Learning to Change – Changing to Learn

Bill Nye: Just Wash Your Hands [Video]

Given concerns about Swine-Flu and similar illnesses I figure we’ll all spend a lot of time reminding our students to frequently wash their hands this school year. Bill Nye’s fun video is just one more strategy for spreading the message.

• Pay Attention
• Teens Talk about Educational Technology
• Do You Believe in Me?
• Schools 2.0

Are You Engaging Your Students?

This important message is brought to you by a group of 5th and 6th grade learners.

• Developing Educational Technology Courses
• New Diigo Group
• Why Would Learners Use Diigo?
• Sputnik’s 50th Anniversary

Educational Reform – Bill Gates Addresses Legislators

The following is the text of Bill Gates’ remarks at the National Conference of State Legislatures. The Microsoft co-founder shares his ideas about “how federal stimulus money should be used to spark educational innovation, spread best practices and improve accountability” along with his belief that the “U.S. must improve its educational standing in the world by rewarding effective teaching and by developing better, universal measures of performance for students and teachers” (Source).

• Memphis City School Receive $90 Million Grant
• The 11th Annual Beyond Access Inclusion Conference in Memphis, TN
• President Advocates Merit Pay and Charter Schools
• 13 Yr. Old CEO of Innovative Educational Gaming Company