Technology at GSB - The year in review

     Technology usage at GSB has never been more widespread, varied and exciting.  Across divisions and disciplines, teachers and students depend on technological resources to learn.  And technology - software and hardware - continues to play a key role in helping all of us to be more productive and efficient.

During the past year:

• We have significantly upgraded the school’s network bandwidth to facilitate faster, more stable Internet connections. 
• We have deployed a new server appliance (KASE) to expedite the management of all network devices. 
• We have gained a staff member, Eileen P., who is overseeing our database and related systems. 
• Over a dozen iPads have been distributed to administrators and key faculty users to evaluate the potential for tablet integration into classroom learning. 
• School wide technology-based professional development has been offered through participation in the fall, 2010 NJAIS conference and through an in-house program featuring Will Richardson. Additionally, a number of GSB staff-led workshops helped all employees towards improved technological literacy.
• Plans are in place for GSB to house a nationally recognized professional development program, Summercore, in June, 2011. 
• One group of teachers experimented with open-source assessments, encouraging students to use online resources as part of assessment tools. 
• The school has deployed a weather station and joined a worldwide network.  A link to the GSB campus weather and information about hundreds of other similar installations is available through KnightSite.
• In this last year, Skyped video conferencing has become a way to bring the world into our classroom. 
• A number of GSB adults and students, even first graders, blog. 
• Parents now schedule their teacher conferences via a dedicated web site.
• The school’s student online publication (The Voice) has evolved with a new web-hosting service. 
• The college guidance department utilizes a web-based system (Naviance) to house all relevant college guidance data. 

     SMARTBoards, document cameras, Prezi presentations, online forums and student laptops have become as routine as note taking, oral reports and multiple choice tests were a generation ago. In short, with regards to technology, there are many new and diverse initiatives underway in all divisions.

     When I started this Blog in the fall of 2010, my intention was to use this space as a place to keep the GSB community updated about technology use at GSB.  My intention was to write once or twice a month, and be sure to offer a K-12 perspective.  Hopefully, I've been able to do that.

     Before signing off for this academic year, I'd like to offer thanks to a number of people who have significantly contributed to technology use at GSB.

Jill Fedon, Carrie Petkiewich and Irv Taylor, our technology teachers. 

Eileen Procaccino, Larry Sudara and Ryan Roque, our Technology Department staff.

      Eileen, Larry, Jill and also, Bill Diamond and Joanna Hayes, our technology workshop instructors.

From top left, clockwise: Eileen and Nancy discuss MS Outlook; Jill at home with her SMARTBoard, Larry gearing up for a PowerPoint workshop and Joanna explaining Prezi presentation software.  Center: Bill (and Bill) with an iPad.

Sid Rowell, Steve Graham, Board members, parents and others who offer financial support and enthusiasm for our technology work at GSB.
And finally, all our GSB technology users.  Some are enthusiasts, and others are more reluctant, but for all, there is a spirit of adventure that continues to push us into new, exciting areas of learning.

   

Technology at GSB: 3 Divisions, 3 Approaches

     In the last week, I've witnessed three different ways in which technology has enhanced learning.  Each example is separate and apart from the other two.  Yet as a grouping, they allow us to see that the ways in which technology can be an asset to learning are as varied as the subjects we teach and the students who are in our charge.

     The Lower School science classes are taught by Lynn Prosen.  Two current projects involve collaborative learning with students from Texas and Missouri.  Her Sharing Animal Stories project allows ninth graders in Texas to compose animal stories and present them to our third graders through a webinar: students read stories and also share digital stories. There's a digital pop-up book for our students to see on a shared wiki.  In  turn, our third graders are developing a popsicle stick puppets video with a script developed from their animal research, and stories will be shared with the Texas students.  The third graders and ninth graders are each reviewing each others' stories.  Our second graders are learning about phenology: "nature's calendar."  GSB students are keeping track of changes they see in nature and they're using Primary Wall to post their observations.  The same school in Texas and another Middle School in Missouri are also sharing information about their local phenology.  Interested in learning more?  Check out the sites the students are using:

http://backyardalmanac.wikispaces.com/  http://sharinganimalstories.wikispaces.com/

     In the Middle School, the eighth grade recently took a trip to Rutgers University to meet with Ethan Handel, a GSB alum and now a research assistant with the Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory.  The students learned about the significance of our oceans to planetary health, and the ways in which contemporary oceanographers are decoding the mysteries of the deep.  Probably the most fascinating tool being utilized by the Rutgers researchers was the "Glider," an underwater robot that could be controlled via satellite and could travel vast distances underwater while collecting assorted types of data.  Each of the Rutgers Gliders are sequentially named: RU-1, RU-2, RU-3, etc.  RU-27 remains the only Glider that successfully completed a trans-Atlantic crossing, from NJ to Spain, and now is housed in the Smithsonian Institution.   

 Clockwise, from top left: 1)  Eighth grade students in the Glider lab.  Here, oceanographic robots are readied for data collection.  The types of data that are collected are varied, and might include measurements of water temperatures, pollution, marine life and currents. 2) Computers track the underwater path of RU-27, the Glider that made the trans-Atlantic crossing from NJ to Spain and 3) Ethan Handel (GSB '02), now a research assistant with the National High Frequency Radar Network East Coast Hub, part of the Rutgers' Marine Science research efforts.

     Can technology inspire young learners?  Based on this trip, the answer is an unequivocal YES.  That does not mean every student in attendance came away with an urge to be an oceanographer.  But it does mean that students understood technical approaches to scientific challenges hold great promise in helping us to better understand the nature of the world we inhabit.

     In the Upper School, Irv Taylor's  Multimedia Design class took on a video production project that connected them to our Lower School.  The group of students created a short (3 minute) video highlighting our Lower School Related Arts classes. These are classes students take outside of their normal grade classroom, and are informally known as "Specials": Art, Computers, Library, Music, Physical Education, Science and World Languages.  For this project, a full array of video production technology skills were utilized.  Students filmed, edited, made production design decisions, wrote script and narrated. The end product nicely showcases our Lower School Related Arts courses and highlights the impact of a video presentation. 

       Want to take a look at the video?  It's available in each of the three Division folders (Lower School, Middle School, Upper School) on KnightSite. And for your convenience, it's also just below.

 

The Demographics of the Digital Age

     The digital age, as we've come to know it, began in the 1980's with the rise of personal computing.  By the 1990's, the digitizing of data was widespread, making possible products such as CDs and MP3s, satellite TV and cameras that did not need film.  As the 20th century gave way to the 21st century, the internet became the new frontier of the digital age, and within a few years, it grew to an incredibly content-rich, interconnected platform from which one could access information about virtually any topic.  And the internet itself morphed, became Internet 2.0, an internet that allowed any user to add content.  What was once a tool to access information now became a place to post information.
     It's all happened within a time frame that syncs to a generation; the digital generation.  This generation begins with the group born in the early 1980's.  They're just approaching 30 now, and all they've ever known is digitally-delivered information. High school students, and those younger, are firmly of the digital age.  They cannot remember a time without computers.  And though certain digital technologies like cell phones or e-readers may have gained traction in their lifetimes, they are considered part of a natural technological evolution, not revolutionary products.
     The digital generation are sometimes referred to as digital natives.  They are native to the digital landscape.  It's the land they were born to, and it's terra firma for them.
     What about the older people, those born in the 1970's or 1960's, or even further back into the deeper recesses of the 20th century.  They are the analog generation.  They grew up with plenty of technology, but it was delivered in a different way.  Telephones were tethered.  Phonographs played vinyl records.  Televisions delivered fewer channels - far fewer - and reception was at times snowy at best.  When digitization shoved aside older systems and began to re-invent our technologies, the analog generation was often a bit slow to adopt newer technologies. But they have adapted, and regularly use a wide variety of digital technologies.  But learning to use smart phones, tablets, Facebook and navigate web sites is not native to them. They did not grow up with these systems.  There is an advantage to exposure at a very young age; it makes learning easier.  The analog generation does not have the advantage of early-age immersion.  They learned as adults.  They have come to the digital age, rather than being of it.  They are digital immigrants.  And like virtually all immigrants, they struggle with language, cultural traditions and historical references.  But like so many immigrants, they also work hard to assimilate.
     I've thought about the demographics of the digital age plenty because I'm made acutely aware of this generational divide daily in my job.  As someone who works with teachers and students on a wide variety of technology issues, I'm also reminded that over-generalizations about generational proclivities are easy to state, but harder to substantiate.  Exceptions abound.  There are students who say things like "I hate email because I don't every want to remember a password." and faculty who teach themselves to use Garageband because they love music. In fact, this whole question of a digital divide is one that has been carefully considered by many scholars of the digital age. Interested?  Do a Google Scholars search to read more deeply into the issue.
     I was born a few years before the 1980's.  I'm not a native.  But I don't quite think of myself as an immigrant either.  I propose a new category for digital demographers: naturalized citizen. This group not only wants to be conversant with digital technologies; we also seek to find the best of new technologies and use them as if we were natives.  Maybe it's just another example of an older person wanting to be young.  Or maybe it's a strategy to survive and thrive in a new era.

GSB's Weather Station

     Did you know that we have a weather station on campus?  It is attached to the flagpole at Thomas Court, in front of the Athletic Center and the Cox Lower School.  The weather station measures temperature, wind speed, humidity, precipitation and barometric pressure.

 The GSB Weather Station at Thomas Court

 

     Truthfully, there seems nothing earth-shattering about the fact that a small weather station is located on campus.  But it gets more interesting.  Our weather station is one of several hundred connected stations that collectively offer a snapshot of weather worldwide.  A "weather collective," the Weather Underground, collects and organizes data from stations around the globe.  Information is posted on www.wunderground.com.  In other words, this is a weather wiki site.  A great many individuals and groups contribute time and effort towards building a body of knowledge useful to others.

     Additionally, each participating weather station site can host a site with station-specific information.  At GSB, for up-to-date campus weather, go to http://www.weatherlink.com/user/gsb (For your convenience, there is link on the home page of KnightSite.) Here, you'll see, in real time, the temperature, humidity, etc. for the Gill St. Bernard's School campus.

     Everyone is interested in the weather from time to time, so there is real utility in these sites for everyone.  But in classes, particularly in the Lower School, the information becomes part of the curriculum.  In April, the LS science program turns its attention to weather, and our own weather station can provide data of use to students in their studies.  With a few clicks, students can access historic data for our weather station and measure data against local norms.  It's just one more way that technology can help deepen students' understanding and interest in a topic under consideration.

 The GSB Weather Station's web site - access via KnightSite's home page

 

     It's worth a mention that Hope Preston deserves a special commendation for our participation in the Weather Underground program.  She spearheaded the effort to obtain the weather station hardware and integrate it into the global weather network.  Thanks also to Ryan Roque for his work setting up the web sites that provide the information to the rest of us.

Three Views of Technology

     Before you become too entranced with gorgeous gadgets and mesmerizing video displays, let me remind you that information is not knowledge, knowledge is not wisdom, and wisdom is not foresight. Each grows out of the other, and we need them all.

Arthur C. Clarke, author

     A vacation week, or two, allows for lots of things; rest, travel, catching up on reading, sleep, entertainment, etc. But time away from the workplace also offers the gift of perspective. With a little space placed between yourself and your job, you sometimes can see things in a clearer light. Checking on an unrelated topic of interest, I ran into the above quote by Arthur Clarke, an author best known for his science fiction work. Instantly, I saw a workplace issue come into more clear focus.

     It's easy to become enamored with the latest, greatest hardware. For anyone with a bit of historical understanding, it's hard not to conclude that we live in a particularly exciting, fast-changing era that is redefining peoples' connection with technology. Technologically, I believe that the current era is unique in human history in terms of the widespread effects technology is having on humankind. But as Clarke observes, the hardware is only important insofar as it helps create sources of information that can be used to promote knowledge. And knowledge must be applied judiciously if one is to be wise. Even wisdom can be misused if if it mistaken for a predictive ability. In short, technology now as always, should be examined for the ways it can serve our needs. 

     It seems to me this is especially true in schools.  We should embrace new technologies, but only so far as they help forward our core mission: to help students learn.  That said, the promise of new pedagogical frontiers that utilize technology creatively and effectively continues to rapidly grow.  It's an exciting time to be involved in education. 

     After pondering Clarke's comments, I looked for other insights into our technological world. 

     There’s a set of rules that anything that was in the world when you were born is normal and natural. Anything invented between when you were 15 and 35 is new and revolutionary and exciting, and you’ll probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you’re 35 is against the natural order of things.

Douglas Adams, author 

          Remember The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe?  If you're a certain age, you probably remember the title, even if you never read the book.  Before the phrase "cult classic" came into vogue, this book was a cult classic.  The author, Doug Adams, seemed to have unusual insights into the workings of the world.  The above quote, from an interview, seems to bear out the characterization of Adams as a savvy observer.

          The quote gets at the current conversation about digital natives vs. digital immigrants.  Adams understood a generation ago that you are defined, at least in some measure, by the accident of the timing of your birth.  And in a world of rapidly changing technology, the implication is that people of different ages can have distinctly different understandings of what's expected technologically.  We certainly see this in our school.  In this respect, students are different than teachers, and younger teachers can be different from old teachers.

          My thinking on this issue is simple; we all need to be learners.  We work in a school, after all, so learning should be embraced by people of all ages.  New technologies can be exciting and useful.  Be willing to explore, no matter how old you are.  But there's so much to learn!  The steady stream of new hardware and software has become a waterfall...

      The number of transistors that can be inexpensively placed on an integrated circuit doubles approximately every two years. (known as Moore's Law)  

Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel

     The actual provenance of the quote seems in debate, but there is no doubt that thinker behind the idea of processing speeds increasing exponentially over time is Moore.  The implication?  That into the foreseeable future, we will continue to see faster, more portable devices that do more.  Over the last couple of years, there has been a serious migration away from the traditional computer to tablets and phones for basic computing functions.  What comes a few years down the road?  Who would dare predict?

     What all this implies for schools remains unclear.  And as Arthur Clarke suggested, the wise do not try too hard to guess.  But it is certain that our job is to continue to be open to new possibilities and follow the research on learning.  Students deserve the very best tools to meet learning goals, whether the tools were invented this year or last century.  Teachers deserve no less.

Is it possible to create student assessment instruments that do not rely on memorization?

    During this winter, I've read a number of articles or posts that questioned schools' continuing reliance on memorization as the core skill of much testing. No one was saying that students had no need to memorize anything.  But what was suggested was that schools are remarkably out of sync with how information is accessed by people today.  With so many tools available to those in search of information, it seems like a misapplication of effort to put an undo emphasis on the memorization of what might be generally considered arcane information.  So I decided to see how we might re-think testing at GSB.  I was curious about what was possible, and was hopeful that the contemporary tools of the digital age might become part of our students learning in the classroom and in the exam room.

     So about a month ago, I sent out an email to middle and upper school teachers. Close to a dozen teachers responded, and I'd like to recount the work of several teachers as they began to rethink testing.  Here's the text of the initial email:

I’m sending this out to the MS and US faculties in search of a volunteer.
Spurred by a few things I’ve read recently, I’ve been thinking about
how we test our students. For the most part, tests look remarkably like
they looked when I was in high school, and that’s quite a few years
back. Tests often rely heavily on memorization, but in our information rich
world, there seems less need to rely on remembering information,
and more need placed on understanding and evaluating that
information.

Here’s what I propose: With a willing volunteer, we’ll create a test that
reasonably assesses students understanding and knowledge of the
content of your class, but calls for no memorization. Additionally, I’d
like students to have at their disposal any information they can gather
quickly. In other words, they might have the resources of the Web at
their disposal. I have some ideas about how a good test could be
constructed, but I’ll need a classroom teacher partner. I think someone
in either history or science might work best, but I’m willing to work with
any enthusiastic volunteer. The only obligation is to actually use the
test with a class to see how it goes.

Let me know if you’re interested. Thanks.

    Joanna Hayes (5th grade Social Studies) emailed back with an interest in learning more.  Her class is studying ancient civilizations, and she was about to begin a unit on Mesopotamia.  This, to me, seemed a perfect place for a teacher to willingly seek to sidestep an over-reliance on memorization.  I truly believe it's hard to argue the position that it's crucial our fifth graders memorize aspects of Mesopotamia's civilization.  Learn? Yes.  Memorize? No.  So Joanna thought through what she wanted her students to learn, and how they could demonstrate their learning in an "open source" environment.  In other words, they would have at their disposal all the tools of research and discovery we all depend on regularly: internet, print sources, etc. As you read through her reflection of the experience, you'll see that she has found ways for students to demonstrate learning, but there is no premium placed on memorizing random facts.  It's understanding and placing information in context that is rewarded in her designs.

For my alternative assessments, it has been an interesting experience. Some students have really loved it, some are okay with it and see its benefit, but a vocal minority has really been resistant. I think they see it as extra work and are balking at the additional workload, despite my framing of it as an opportunity for the students to completely control their own destiny using all the resources at their disposal!

So far, I've had two alternative assessments with my 5th grade.
1. In place of an in-class quiz on Cuneiform, the students had to write three diary entries: one before writing, one during the early, limited forms of writing, and one after the invention of cuneiform. They are supposed to show that they understand the limitations of life without writing and the importance/impact of the invention of writing. They are also to show a general understanding of daily life in Mesopotamia.

2. For 30 points of the latest in-class quiz on the conquests and empires of Mesopotamia, the students had a take-home portion showing the causes and effects of Hammurabi's Code through a cartoon. I gave them the option to draw it by hand, or to make it online using www.toondoo.com. This is the first time a lot of the students had used the program, so I introduced it briefly but let them explore. Overall, most of the students LOVED (enthusiastically) this tool and have been playing with it in their free time. A lot of the products are really well done. I've attached one student's assignment as an example (it's in two parts: hammurabi1 and hammurabi2).

So, I've really been happy with this for the most part. Though, I have never had vocal mutiny in my class before until this experiment (even though it was small), so that has been an adjustment.

     Isabel Corbin (US Geometry) also jumped in to the project.  He class was headed towards a unit on similarity, a staple of geometric education.  Again, an emphasis on understanding and application is explicit in a review of the test Isabel gave to her students.  Note that students are encouraged to use any resources that can help them through the assessment.  Here, as in our 5th grade example, the assessement itself becomes a learning experience.  Here's that Geometry test on similarity:

For this part of our test on Similarity, you will have access to the Internet. Use any websites you find helpful to answer the questions below. You may also use your calculator, ruler, textbook and notebook. Please keep track of the website addresses you use. Questions are each worth ten points.

The most famous ratio in mathematics is also known as The Golden Ratio. (Golden Mean, Golden Section and Golden Rectangle are essentially interchangeable terms as well.)

1  a. Explain the Golden Ratio. How is it derived?
    b. Explain how the Golden Ratio and Fibonacci series are related.

2  Piet Mondrian used the Golden Mean as he designed his paintings. Below is one of his works, Composition with Red, Yellow and Blue (1930).

   a. In the work above, pick two rectangles and label the sides “a,” “b” “c” etc.. Use a ruler to measure them and then write two ratios(height/width). Which ratio is closest to the Golden Mean?
   b. Find another painting (and the date) in which Mondrian appears to have used the Golden Mean.

3  a. The Parthenon, an ancient Greek temple located in Athens, is said to be designed with The Golden Ratio as a guiding architectural principle. Why do art historians say this is true?
   b. Name another building and its location that follows the Golden Ratio.

4  Indirect measurement uses proportions to find distances of things when direct measurement is not possible. Find two examples of where you would need to use indirect measurements and create two word problems below.

     Megan Summers (US Comparative World Cultures) provides our third and final example of alternative assessment strategies.  The class was poised to examine the topic of European contact with the Americas in the late 15th century.  As with Isabel, Megan's test allows for open source investigation, but demands students demonstrate learning.  This CWC test utilizes Google Scholar, a search engine that draws from academic sources.

Utilize “Google Scholar” to locate resources pertaining to the Columbian Exchange. Be sure that you use web resources that relate to the three handouts distributed in class, as well as what we’ve learned from class discussions.

INSTRUCTIONS
- Read both of the short writing prompts before locating your scholarly sources.
   - You must find TWO sources, one to be applied to each question.
   - Open a new Word document and utilize the template below to structure your responses. You do not need to rewrite the prompts, just number your responses or copy and paste the template.
   - Answer the prompts utilizing your selected source to make your case. You must use your own thoughts and words in your response – no copying straight from the website!
   - Be sure to properly cite your source by including the complete URL at the bottom of your short response.
   - After each writing prompt, provide a brief explanation (just a couple of sentences) indicating WHY you selected your two sources.
   - Proof read your responses to make sure they are clear. Test out your links after each response to ensure that I can access it.
   - Save your document with a title of (YOURNAME)CWC. Email me the file as an attachment. msummers@gsbschool.org

DOCUMENT MUST BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF CLASS TODAY

TEMPLATE AND PROMPTS FOR YOUR DOCUMENT

1. Discuss the Columbian Exchange’s impact on environmental and ecological factors in Latin America. 

     

     What were some of the significant changes?
 

     Source URL:
 

     Why did you select this source?

2. Discuss the Columbian Exchange’s impact on social issues in Latin America. 

     

     How did certain social changes modify human interactions in the region, and did the impact last for a significant amount of time?
 

     Source URL:
 

          Why did you select this source?

     If you're intrigued by what you see here, I'd like to offer a few suggestions.  

     1) Go to Knightsite, open the "Technology Department" folder on the home page, and then open the folder labeled Alternative Assessment Project.  (KnightSite log-in)

     2) Speak with teachers who have created assessment instruments that do not rely on memorization.

       3)  Feel free to contact me and we'll work together to see what's possible in your classes.

iPads at GSB: Part II

 

 

      Three pictures above, random pages from a recently created iBook.  It was created on my iPad, exported into iTunes and finally, imported back into my iPad in the iBooks app.  It ended up on the shelf along with other titles.  The story is about Chaco, our cat, and runs twelve pages.

     I wanted to experiment with the process of creating an ebook, and wanted text and visuals.  I wanted see if I could manage a layout that was reasonably attractive.  Finally, I wanted to see how the ebook would be received by a discerning, critical audience.  So writing a story for children seemed perfect.   

     Composing on an iPad is not difficult, though it takes a bit to master the various layout commands.  I used the Pages app, and I'm certain the work was made easier because of that decision.  As with layout and design, the export and import process was not difficult once I figured out the proper sequence.  For more on working with the the ePub file format, check Apple's support page at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4168.

     When it was done, I showed the story to Hope Preston, our Lower School librarian.  Hope told me the book was about right for kindergarten kids.  I asked our kindergarten teachers, Diane Lipnickey, Sue Rankin and Elise Smith, if I could come to class and do a reading.  This would be my final exam.

     Story time with a guest reader was obviously exciting for our kindergarten students, but it is not an exaggeration to say they were particularly excited when they saw that the reading would be via an iPad.  They drew in a little closer and were a little more engaged.  That's especially true when I showed them that any picture could be enlarged so they could see it better.  It's a feature each and every student liked.  There I am below with a group of very engaged and active listeners. 

     By all accounts, the reading was a hit with the kids.  I have no doubt the iPad helped to create some extra excitement.  Over time, the novelty will surely wear off, but for now, the bright screen and ability to enlarge story features are still sources of wonder.

     Before I leave the topic of iPads, at least for a few posts, I wanted to offer some additional information about iPad usage at GSB.  I mentioned in my last post that our technology teachers and administrators were exploring potential curricular uses for tablets.  What I failed to mention is that thanks to a GSB Parent's Association grant last summer, Irv Taylor (Upper School Computer Science chair) will be offering a Spring Unit on writing Apple apps.  He's been partnering with two members of the Technology Department, Ryan Roque and Larry Sudara, to learn code and protocols.  As that course develops, I'll be sure to keep you updated.

.

iPads at GSB: Part I

               As some of you may know, there are a number of teachers and administrators at GSB using iPads.  For most of us, the goal is to consider how tablets might enrich instruction and learning at school.  To that end, there is quite a bit of exploration under way.

          Apps – more formally, applications – offer an incredible range of source materials for schools.  This doesn’t necessarily mean these are the best materials or that the information can be delivered easily and sensibly.  But that’s what we’re trying to figure out.  What apps hold curricular promise? Do apps, and tablet delivery, change learning in a discernibly positive way?  If you're interested in this question, you might want to check this site: http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=26195

         And an important corollary question is this:  If we believe tablets like an iPad are tools that we want to use, how can we best deploy them into classrooms?

          One of the projects that is connected to this exploration is a joint effort between Jill Fedon, Carrie Petkiewich and me.  We’ve been test-driving, reviewing and categorizing iPad apps for school use.  To date, we’ve reviewed over 100 apps, and have designated them by academic discipline and school division.  I’m certain this spreadsheet of information will be useful moving forward if we broaden our use of iPads at GSB.  And for now, the process is helping us to better analyze which apps are most useful in a school setting.  If you’d like a copy of the spreadsheet, let me know.

          One of my interests as I’ve worked with an iPad is in creating content, as opposed to only viewing content.  It’s a great device for viewing content.  Whether you’re browsing web pages, checking a work calendar synched to a desktop unit, or learning about the cosmos via an app developed by NASA, the iPad works beautifully.  But as I learned more about ePublishing using an iPad, iTunes and iBooks, I became far more interested in creative possibilities.  To that end, I decided to learn about the process of writing and publishing using an iPad.

          I didn’t want to spend time writing the sequel to War and Peace, so I decided a children’s story of about a dozen pages made sense.  But I did want to include visual and text content, wanted to explore layout and design, and most of all wanted the final product to appear on the iBook bookshelf in my iPad as a “published text.”  In my next post, I’ll be talking more about the project.  You’ll be able to see the story, and to hear about how our kindergarten classes responded to a reading.  We'll take it off the shelf and check it out.

               During the class, senior Brendan M. attentively listens to a guest speaker, Susan Retik.   Ms. Retik is hundreds of miles away.

     If you're listening to conversations educators have about curriculum and learning, it's hard not to hear the word "technology" quickly and frequently.  A fairly recent example: at the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools fall conference, most of the sessions focused on technologies in the classroom, K-12.

     
      Why is technology so important to teachers and administrators?  Is there something special about this era that separates it from times past?  Are learners different?  Does a different world demand different classrooms?  These are among the important questions that should be asked as we consider new models of education that put a premium on technological innovation.

     
      In my job as our school's academic technology director, I assume a role as promoter of technology use.  And as a long time teacher and counselor, I know that in the past, technologies have held undelivered promises.  Part of my job as now is to help the school decide what technologies command our attention because they will help create better learning.

      
      It probably makes sense to start with a premise, and here's mine: technology should be judged as it serves learning.  I may hear someone say, "Many students love playing online social games using avatars, so we should redesign courses to make the most of this interest.  If Farmville is popular on Facebook, why can't we figure out how to use that popularity in the classroom?"  My response is "What are you trying to accomplish in your classroom?  What are your learning goals?"  If Farmville, or another web-based social game, helps students toward your learning goals, use it.  If it only keeps students engaged because they enjoy the activity, it is misused technology.

      
      For schools, the fact is that the last twenty years have seen an unbelievable growth in technology .  Beginning in the early 1990's with the influx of computers into classrooms, through the rise of educational software development, the unlimited resources of the internet, the creativity enabled by web 2.0 and the mobility and flexibility made possible by laptops, netbooks, tablets and other devices, we have seen incredible change in a couple of decades.  The challenge is not only to make sense of it all, but to make wise use of the possibilities.  

     
      It is my intention in this space to keep you informed of the many ways in which our teachers use technology to further learning.  Let's take one example that I recently observed.  Our Upper School History Department offers an elective, Comparative World Religions.  The class was studying Islam, and in particular, it was considering the debate centering on the location of an Islamic Cultural Center and mosque near the Ground Zero site in downtown Manhattan.  The class had done readings, discussed the issues, and taken a trip to lower Manhattan.  Additionally, the students had seen the film "Beyond Belief" which added a highly personal perspective to the subject. The teacher, Peter Schmidt, was hopeful the students would be able to speak with Susan Retik, a central person in the film.  Distance, and her schedule, made a face to face meeting impossible, but a video chat provided a reasonable alternative.  Students could easily see and hear Ms. Retik, and she was able to give the class a full forty minutes of uninterrupted time.  Class learning was enriched in a way otherwise unobtainable.  It's a fine example of technology in service to learning.

      

From a remote location, Susan Retik discusses her work with the Comparative World Religion class.

     The photo above is of Susan Retik on the monitor while engaged in a video chat.  Look carefully in the upper right hand corner, and you'll see the picture-in-picture of the GSB class.

      
      I'll write more about technology in service to learning in future posts, but feel free to offer your comments now.  

     
      And briefly, on to another topic....the naming of the GSB Intranet.  Using either this Blog site or Survey Monkey, we have about 100 entries.  There's still time to submit.  You can post here or use the online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SZRSCGG 

      
      Contest closes on January 7, 2011 at noon.

       Finally, a Happy New Year to all readers!