Flipping in Time

Coming home from the ISTE national conference in San Diego, I found on our doorstep, a copy of Time Magazine for the week of July 9th. As I flipped through the latest I found the following article (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2118298,00.html) on Sal Khan called "Reboot the School". It seems that in reading the article, the idea of the flipped classroom has reached Time Magazine. However, as I read further, I found the usual story of how Salman Khan went from Hedge fund manager to online tutor/teacher. As I read further, I discovered what the magazine describes as the flipped classroom, but refers to it as Khan's Way.

Now I am a big fan of Khan, and while I am happy to see the idea of the flipped classroom reach such a wide audience, I was disappointed to see that other names such as Bergmann and Sams were left out of the discussion; or to also see that no mention was made of the success that is occurring in schools across the country where teachers have made their own videos through their own efforts.




While Khan Academy is a great solution for students who need additional help, and it provides a solution for teachers who are starting out on their own in a flipped model, nothing replaces the familiarity of a student being able to see and hear their own teacher in a video lesson as homework, and being able to relate the information back the next day in a hands on activity.

I would encourage anyone who reads this article and is interested in flipping the classroom to do the research. There are many examples of how flipping can be successful. I would also recommend that for teachers who are just starting out, Khan is a great starting point, but nothing can replace the teacher students are familiar with. So when you get the nerve and get over seeing or hearing yourself on video, start with a few simple tools such as Camtasia, Explain Everything, or Educreations, and make your own videos to begin flipping the classroom.

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California Desert

On our way home from the ISTE conference, we had the opportunity to drive through the California desert. The Mojave is something that is beautiful and mysterious at the same time. It's interesting how we take for granted the vast differences that exist across the landscape of this country.




When we asked the kids what they thought of the desert, one said," look to the left-desert, look to the right-desert. Big deal". But it is a big deal, and it is one that I took for granted on taking this same trip when I was their age.
It's interesting the things we come to appreciate with age.

ISTE 2012: Pirates of the Class-I-Wanna-Be-In ~ The Journey to Paper's End

I loved this presentation! From the start, it was very entertaining. The presenter, Captain IO, was clad in pirate costume and brought on the full effect with an authentic pirate accent! Aargh!
The focus of this workshop was on the paperless classroom and use of mobile devices. He poses the idea that a trained "tech pirate" can find most anything:

Pull media
Pick out images
Snag shared fair-use resources
Collaborate with others
Acquire inspiration and creativity

If going paperless, Cap'n IO mentions that you have to get yer stuff from somewhere! Creating a site to put things out on the web was necessary. His choice was dreamweaver, weebly, and wix. Weebly and Wix provided a user friendly drag and drop interface for teachers who didn't feel savvy enough for dreamweaver.

He says you also need a means of assessment, content absorption, and expression. In other words, testin', learnin', and creatin'! The key is to go around the HMS Admin. that thar was a boat to avoid! Rough waters ahead he says (ya feelin' how cheeky this presentation was?).




His setup meant that he totally threw out all paper. And aside from his website, he had a teacher workstation, student owned devices, a projector, and a few other peripherals.

Keeping the attention of the kids was a problem, but he says it can be easy. What with all the activities, parent meetings, sports events,and tutoring sessions ( sound familiar), he had to keep their attention. But he needed machines. He had enough machines (rebuilt, borrowed, hijacked) to create a 2:1 ratio. Even though it wasn't 1:1 it wasn't bad. He even had a kid that brought in a PS3 because it had wifi and could get on the net. Anything to get them wired. And the techs didn't quite love it.
They complained about the hodge-podge of machines and the nightmare created by the mix. But no matter how old it was, once he reached the satisfaction of making it work, the key was it worked.





Turning in work came down to emailing assignments. Gmail was what he used. He had now entered Googledom. He had one gmail address, one site, per class.


For grading and assessment, he used Quia.com. He never had to grade homework, but he could track mastery and understanding of content.

"Thar still be big problems"

The desire would be to have a 1:1 environment, but sometimes that doesn't happen. And kids get lost and sucked in by the "Fracken" (Facebook) or other distractions. And when not all kids are working on the same device and same format, you get assignments turned in in so many formats (.doc, PDF, works, ppt, etc...) that it can be frustrating. Also, where do they take notes? How do you know the work is authentic? So rather than have them do all the work outside, it was done in class, by hand on paper; their own, not the schools. But by flipping it in this way, their understanding transformed.


But this wasn't paperless! He still depended on the kids to buy theme books for writing. Argh! There be no papers end!

"But thar be a place!"

A place called Tabletonia! They headed in to Tabletonia and found Everything he had created could be ported through one device with a battery that would last all day. But flash became a problem, as when he created his videos with Camtasia, they couldn't be viewed on iPads. But he found if when creating links, he linked to the video instead of the site, they indeed could be viewed on iPads!

As well, the iPad allowed students/teachers to record, edit, use special effects, create, and export items on one device. And rather than spend tons of dollars on graphing calculators, he used the $0.99 calculator on the app store.

Apps provided a way so that notes could be handwritten, PDF could be converted to word and back, comments could be written, and it was paperless! Try Notability. Notes can be created by hand and emailed from within the app. And in PDF format. Everything could be converted and handed in via the PDF format. You can also record. Great value.

If you want more about this great speaker go to http://templeeduneering.com/ISTE/x.html
Print out a poster of his material for your classroom.

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ISTE 2012: Classroom Flipping - How We Did It

http://youwillflip.pbworks.com
This morning I am attending a workshop on flipping the classroom at ISTE 2012. Never hurts to get all the additional info you can. This morning's presenters are Rebecca Evans and Kate Kanach.
If you haven't heard of flipping the classroom, it's not actually a new concept, but it has taken on a life of its own in the past two years. I have posted several articles on it in the past. If you want to check them out, check the tags at the left.




Flipping the classroom entails changing your traditional lectures to a video format and posting them online as homework. Then face to face classroom time can be used to focus on hands on activities, practice, and guided instruction through inquiry. Think Salman Khan (Khan Academy) for homework, and homework as classwork. That's an extremely simplified view, but hopefully you get the picture.

Back to our presenters, one of the things they stressed in their presentation is that some statistics show that student test scores go up in the flipped model of instruction. They also point out that flipping encourages teamwork and 21st century skills, as students work in teams more frequently, and utilize more technology skills. The caveat to this, they say is that some teachers are Leary of this modl because they are no longer the center of attention. It does take you off center stage. But remember: it's not about you, it's about the kids.




If you check out their website, they have provided a wealth of articles and resources. They provide examples of how they have setup their classroom, and provide a sample unit so teachers can see and understand the flow of a flipped lesson. Something they have done, and what needs to be pointed out here is that the "homework" doesn't always have to be a video, it can be a Prezi, a PowerPoint, or other interactive content. They use Edmodo to post their lessons and questions.

When doing class in this manner, you have to realize that student projects will build interpersonal skills and will allow students more variety in the ways they produce work. As they do work, they will be there with you and they will have the benefit of your help. Likewise, you will benefit by being able to observe them at work.

The presenters also pointed out something I feel is important. It is not always necessary or proper to flip every lesson. But it will work with most things. Also, check out "Flip Your Classroom" from ISTE. This book provides a great deal of insight from flipping pioneers Bergmann & Sams.

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No boundaries: Using iPads to reach English Language Learners

Tis afternoon I attended a session by Lisa Estrada, Program Coordinator, and Heather Parris-Fitzpatrick, Program Specialist with Nassau, BOCES. The discussion focused on the use of iPads for ESL students.

http://esltechies.com

Essential questions:

--How can educational apps strengthen and support critical thinking?
--How can digital media remove boundaries and promote achievement for ELLs?
--How can distance learning expand horizons for All students?

To answer these questions, the presenters stress their love of the iPad because it provides multimedia support, accessibility, portability, multiple modalities for learning, and that the device addresses all language skills.

iBooks was a key component of their program as they feel that it promotes critical thinking through its features:

Bookmarking
Highlighting
Note-taking
Dictionary
Search
Google and Wikipedia access

For designing curriculum for ELL and ESL students, presenters suggested resources which can be found in iTunes U. This iPad/iPod/iPhone resource provides a wealth of ESL/ELL material in the form of podcasts and vodcasts which can be downloaded as full courseware for free.




The focus of the session focused heavily on iBooks, but I must point out what some of the attendees brought up. The accessibility features of the keyboard allow users to type in their native language. As well, the standard keyboard will allow you to add special characters to your documents by pressing and holding any letter




The presenters also pointed out that critical thinking can be enhanced through use of apps such as:

ebook readers
Graphic organizers
Translators
Test prep
Subject specific apps

A list of suggestions is found on their site: http://esltechies.com


They also are big fans of one of my favorite apps, Explain Everything!.

Tis app can be used to record audio, screenshots, and screencasts along with notes, edits, and graphics. Once your video explanation is complete, it can be uploaded to the web for student viewing. This app is one of my favorites (said that already) and one I'll be covering in our Flipping the Classroom class in July!





Other apps they recommend include:

Notability - allows students to take finger written notes, or audio notes.

Photo card - allows students to write on a photo. Great for creating postcards, or even flash cards.

iTranslate - free app.

Polycom- app that allows you to connect from iPad to anyone with polycom video conferencing system.

Popplet- good For creating concept maps and charts.

For more information and tips on teaching ESL/ELL students using technology, visit http://ESLTechies.com




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Location:ISTE 2012, San Diego

#ISTE12 Technology Tools and Differentiation

How do you use graphics, photos, etc...to draw interest and bring together an idea? This morning I attended a presentation on Dynamic Differentiation & Digital Age Learning by Annette Lamb in which she answered that question. Using technology, we can address the differences in our students. Technology can help us focus on the needs of groups in our classrooms. Technology can help achieve readiness, develop interests, and provide choice. Technology can do this by adding visuals, auditory components, and writing.

For instance, if a child has problems in an area such as writing or typing, an iPad can help a child as it provides a way to record and transcribe thoughts. But as well, technology can help students relay ideas or understand content through rich visual content which can attract student interest.
Create a bridge between media by connecting a reader to video or online content related to a book they are reading.

The example Annette uses is that Graeme Base, author of The Jewel Fish of Karnak has recorded youtube video commentary on his book. The online content creates an extension which can't drive student interest. Weaving these experiences and extensions together can become important.


But not all media are this rich in related content. As a result, we as educators need to work together to share resources or seek out those who have connections to content online. If something isn't available, build it yourself!
One way to turn kids on to reading is to use google as a starting point. Have a child search for a book, and read a synopsis or first few pages of a book before going to the library to check it out.

To generate interest in global topics, use the web to do a search on videos, visuals, etc... For example, on a discussion of Egypt, have them refer to sites suggested by Google to help them understand that Egypt is a real place and find out what it looks like.


Use fun tools to help them conduct their search:

-Student made tools, maps, books, artwork can be overplayed over existing content to draw a comparison. Have kids make their own map of Egypt and compare it to the real thing on google maps.

-iPad apps can help immerse students in new content. D a search for apps related to your subject.

- do a search for student work created by others and have student's critique their work for accuracy and understanding.

-put together resources using keynote or PowerPoint, Glogster, or some other web based tool.

With almost anything, you can generate student interest just by searching out supplemental videos, websites, and tools on the web. With the results you get, you can create an extension activity that enriches student understanding and interest.

As she discussed these topics, I was reminded how Apple has led us down this very path by generating iBooks textbooks that create visuals that jump off the page or provide interactive activities that go deeper into topics that normally would just lay on the page in print media. Today, she says, we have reached "a different way of thinking" and learning.
But in relating these thoughts she stresses that it is important that kids learn to generate their own content. After all, we do learn best by doing! There are a wealth of tools available to us now, especially for free, that can be utilized to generate our own content. Organizers, cameras, video tools, aggregators - all sorts of web 2.0 tools and tools on handheld devices - have given us the ability to create! Many kids have iPods of their own, or phones that carry these tools. We need to make use of these tools.

As she continues, Annette also stresses that we need to give students choice. I have been saying this for years. We need to let them choose how they analyze content, how they create content. Students don't always want to use the methods prescribed by us. They have strengths of their own; they have interests that can be used to create authentic works.

Every year, we as educators spend an inordinate amount of time learning and discussing new apps and tools that we can use. We need to apply those tools to projects in the classroom. This leads to the discussion of producing 1:1 tools such as tablets and computers. Student learning can be greatly amplified by integrating technology and allowing students to use these tools. Why do we continue to use technology behind the desk as a teacher, but expect kids to do the same old dry activities and projects? It's time to bring those tools to the other side of the desk.

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ISTE keynote: Dr. Yong Zhao

I'm attending the Keynote address by Dr. Yong Zhao at the ISTE 2012 conference. This morning he is discussing education, goals, assessments, and technology. The following post chronicles his speech today.

He starts by saying that, if you choose the wrong goal to achieve, you won't succeed. Where your priorities lie greatly influences your level of success and could ultimately determine your level of failure. With this in mind, where are we going in education today..."no child left behind", "common core", etc....

Dr. Zhao suggests that test scores have become the "new god in education". Technology is used to enslave students and teachers to produce better scores. As a result, he says test scores don't lead to real education. Test scores are not a stick by which everyone should be measured.

http://zhaolearning.com

He refers to Marc Tucker's "Surpassing Shanghai". In discussing goals to surpass Asian countries in test scores, the idea is that literacy is the key to achievement. We have focused on this goal for years as the baseline. But is reading the real goal we should have? Somehow, China has become, to many, the line of measure by which we must rise, or the standard of comparison for education. In other words, why can't our education system be as good as China's. They're kicking our butts in math and science! But in truth, China has the best and worst education system, combined. Many Chinese feel their education system has stifled them.

"Why aren't the model minority happy?"

Asians as a group do very well based on test scores. Asians seem to be the model minority, educationally. But in the world of work, their stake in leadership positions is much lower statistically.

If American education is so poor, and has been for so long, why is the US still here? looking back in time, many news stories and studies have compared us to other countries, only to show that our educational system is far behind.
However, economically, the US is doing well in comparison. So why does the paradox exist? If we have a country of horrible test takers, why do we still seem to succeed as a world power?



A great deal of student success can be tied to their level of confidence. In the push to get high scores, we may be damaging their confidence. "To get high test scores we need to make our kids slightly more miserable."

"Confidence underpins creativity and entrepreneurship"

The traditional model of education is to create a curriculum. We make a bet that if we form curriculum, kids will be successful as a result of that effort. With any curriculum, you are not only educating, but you are selecting. So what matters - diversity of talents, creativity, entrepreneurship, and passion. We tend to kill these things in our current system.

So what matters? We need creativity, innovation, etc.... You need unique people with special skills, not a large population of people with the same skills. Choosing to excel in one area is not a bad thing. We need to view everyone as an entrepreneur. Those that are on happy with a situation and create their own situation or solution. These are the creative people who don't wait on a position to open up for them, they create their own path.

Education should enhance strengths and follow the students. Education has to become product oriented. Kids shouldn't be making projects for the teacher, they should be producing solutions to problems; not just become idle consumers. Test scores do not reflect teaching ability, student future, or school quality. A good education is one that helps every student maximize potential.


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There's an App For That #ISTE12

Attended a forum for the ISTE Special Interest Group on Mobile Learning (SIGML). Presenters promoted use of the following website, which provides a resource list of apps for most any mobile platform (blackberry, iOS, android) and any age level (pre-k to PhD).
http://www.tbrmobile.org
Many apps were presented, but discussion shifted very early on to the fact that we as teachers need to speak up and tell the publishers what content, interactive, video, etc, we would like to see in the educational apps we use. Results will happen if you ask.
A few of the super cool apps presented:
Frog Dissection by Emantras
Al Gore: Our Choice
Splashtop Presenter
Verbally - provides words and phrases and speaks them aloud for special needs kids.
News in Slow Spanish -actually a podcast - provides news commentary in Spanish -can be played at slower rate for Spanish learners. Available on iTunes.
Art Rage - painting tool for the iPad. Use a stylus!
Dropbox - cant stress enough how great this file storage app is! I use it myself. Access files anywhere.
Kobo - free books
Wattpad - free original stories
Skitch - Annotate over anything.
Puppet Pals - make your own Puppet play using characters and backdrops provided. Play back on iPad. Great for building creativity.
Check them out. The level of interactive content and productivity is wonderful.
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Location:ISTE 2012 San Diego, CA

ISTE Exhibit Hall

Walking through the ISTE exhibit hall, you never know what you will find. I happened to visit the Promethean booth and ran across this:
There are literally enough exhibitors to cover a city block and they are proof positive that technology is moving forward at a fast pace (like you didn't know that already).




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Location:ISTE 2012 Conference, San Diego, CA

Apps with Aptitude

Cathie Loesing, Program Coordinator with the eMints National Center, presented a session this morning on the use of iPads in the K-2 classroom. She stresses that when using iPads and selecting apps for lessons that teachers should focus on the following:
Apps should promote higher level thinking
Lessons should prompt community based learning
Stress inquiry based learning
She discussed many of her favorite apps, but rather than have me pick and choose, I though I would post a link to her site so you could see the apps for yourself. She lists many paid and free apps. Enjoy!
http://appswithaptitude.weebly.com/
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Location:ISTE 2012

We made it!

After 24 hours of driving and coffee, followed by a few more, "are we there yets", we have finally made it to San Diego. There temperature is great! Looks as though the highs are in the 70s with lows in the 60s. Couldn't be more perfect. After picking up the registration materials, it looks as though there are many great things in store for those attending ISTE this week! The keynote speakers include many well known and informed educators! I can't wait!




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Now Entering New Mexico!

Had to stop for gas across the border in New Mexico. The truck stop has a free car museum. Had to stop for a while, stretch the legs, and absorb the Radiator Springs feel of the area. That's a Cars reference if ya didn't catch it!




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On our way to San Diego

Well we started the long trek to ISTE this morning. We left Oklahoma at 7:00 am and we just stopped in Amarillo TX to take a rest and grab a bite to eat. The kids are excited about taking a vacation in CA, and I'm ready for the conference. The sounds of "are we there yet!" echo from the back of the car every hour or so. Hope we as parents can survive!




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Location:Georgia St S,Amarillo,United States

EdCompass and Flipping

This month's issue of EDCompass Magazine (SMART Technologies) features an article on Flipping the Classroom. In addition to a discussion of what Flipped Learning means, there are also features of success stories, SMART Resources related to flipping, and examples of how to use SMART Tools to create your own one-take videos. Check out the latest edition here.

You can also sign up to receive EDCompass Magazine by visiting their blog.

ISTE 2012

The ISTE 2012 Conference is coming up on June 24-27th. This year's conference is in San Diego, CA. A few of us from our district will be attending. It is my hope and my goal to submit a few posts on this blog about what we see there. This year, there is a great deal of discussion regarding iPads, BYOD, Flipping, and Virtual Learning. I know there will be a lot to see and experience, so I'll try to share as much as possible.

The past few years have been interesting as technology has taken a greater presence in education. Where in years past, the ability to use technology in the classroom greatly hinged on budgets, there are now more free options and WiFi in schools has given teachers the ability to serve students more as they bring their own devices to the classroom. This year's ISTE workshops and topics will help to answer many of the questions I have about this and other issues regarding technology and education.

If you are interested in seeing what all the buzz is about, here is a link to the ISTE website.

iOS 6 for iPhone and iPad

Recently Apple released information at the Worldwide Developers Conference 2012, that it would be updating its iOS to version 6 in the Fall.  A few of the updates include tweaks to Siri, Maps, Facebook Integration, Safari, Phone, Email and FaceTime.  But the greatest update in terms of the field of education is Guided Access.


Guided Access will focus on schools who use iPads in the classroom and for high stakes testing.  This feature will allow teachers and administrators to limit use on the iPad to one app.  This setting ensures that students will remain on the task at hand, rather than venture into other territories when they should be focused on one app.  This works by disabling the Home button during app use. 

In addition to this, VoiceOver will be fully integrated into other areas such as Maps, Assistive Touch, and Zoom, which will allow visually impaired students greater access to content. 

This change in the iOS is huge in terms of helping teachers utilize iPads as an instrument of testing and review, as students are wholly focused on the content, rather than having the ability to wander off in other areas that would tempt them to use other resources to answer questions at a time when their knowledge of content is being tested.  As well, the other accessibility tools make this update more useful to special education students who require additional assistance when using computing devices. 

How does this change in the iOS affect you?  What are your thoughts on this change?  What other changes would you like to see Apple make in the iOS to benefit educators?  Add your thoughts in a reply to this post!

Still Having Questions About Flipping?

What the advocates of flipped learning say...

The discussion on flipping the classroom has grown tremendously in educational circles. If you conduct a Google search on the topic, you'll find tons of articles, posts, and videos about the topic. In all that discussion, there are, as with any topic, proponents and opponents of the practice. This summer I'll be conducting a professional development class on how to create videos for flipping the classroom. In all that discussion, we will talk about what flipping is, how it is best applied to the classroom, and ways to push video content out to students. In my research I have run across many different names of teaching professionals who have been successful at flipping. If you are interested in hearing their thoughts, here are a few heavy hitters and links to their comments and work:

• Aaron Sams and Jonathan Bergmann
• Flipped Learning Blog
• Alan November Interviews Sams and Bergmann
• TechSmith Interview with Sams and Bergmann
• Katie Gimbar
• Elevated Math - Katie Gimbar
• Friday Institute Professional Development on Flipped Learning
 
• The Flipped Class Network

Katie posted a video back in 2011 regarding one serious question that many teachers have asked me in this discussion:  What if the kids don't watch the videos?  Interested in her response?  See her answer below:

What the opponents say... 

And as it should be with any discussion, you need to see and hear both sides of the story.  There are some groups in this discussion that are against the idea of flipping the classroom.  While flipping the classroom can be beneficial to students in many ways, it should be understood that not all lessons can be successfully flipped.  And in turn, the homework you sent home in the past should not be the same work you introduce in the flipped classroom.  The flipped classroom allows for richer and more meaningful lessons to take place in individual and group settings.  Simple drill and practice homework assignments are not for the flipped classroom.  Students will benefit from real world activities and deeper conversations that come from them.  

Although I choose to disagree, I thought it important to post a few links showing this side of the conversation. 

• Why I'm Not Flipping Over the Flipped Classroom
• Flipped classroom - What it is and my reservations of it

Although this list is short, the discussion on both sides is very lengthy.  Ultimately, the decision to flip the classroom should not come lightly.  It does take work at the outset, and should only be undertaken if you are willing to put in the work. But if you are willing, then it can create a whole new learning environment for students that draws their interest and motivates them to learn.