Schools’ Test Focus Queried

via The New Zealand Herald

New Zealand’s children will lose out on jobs if the schooling system becomes too focused on tests and traditional measures of achievement, a visiting expert has warned.

Professor Yong Zhao, the presidential chair at the University of Oregon’s College of Education, said a focus on measuring traditional success risked producing homogenous, compliant workers ill-suited for a modern economy.

In the country as a guest of the NZEI education union, Professor Zhao told business leaders and academics that a focus on international test rankings was misguided.

When Shanghai, China ranked first in reading, writing and mathematics in the latest international standardised testing, it caused much angst in Western countries including the United States, Professor Zhao said.

The results were called a “Sputnik” moment, referencing the satellite which symbolised the Soviet Union’s lead in the space race.

New Zealand’s Education Minister Hekia Parata frequently refers to international rankings, and champions the use of student achievement data as a way to target support to where it is most needed.

Professor Zhao, who was born and educated in China and met Ms Parata yesterday afternoon, said it was wrong to equate the best test scores with the best education system.

He said that in China and other high performing countries there was much soul-searching about whether their education systems were producing graduates who could think for themselves and creatively – who might become the next Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple.

There was often an inverse relationship between high test scores and children’s enjoyment of, or confidence in, a subject. And it was precisely those measures that were important for entrepreneurship and creativity – essential traits for the jobs of tomorrow.

Professor Zhao said creative jobs had been on the rise since the 1970s, as manufacturing and other traditional roles were replaced by machines and technology. “Black collar” workers – a term named after Jobs’ turtleneck – were now needed.

“Schools have always been responsible for producing the traditional middle class … we are facing a new economy, it is an economical re-setting.

“I want to warn the New Zealand Government – you may be raising your test scores, but you may be losing something else, and that might be very important for the future.”

Bennett Medary, chairman of the New Zealand Information and Communication Technologies Group, told the meeting it reflected the fact there were 15,000 vacant jobs in the technology industry.

“What we lament is the lack of creativity, of empathy, of the ability to work in teams, resilience and ambition – those softer attributes.

“Yet on the other hand I understand that stakeholders, parents and so on, would be very concerned about allowing students simply to discover themselves through education through this kind of random pathway, of passion and interests.”

Professor Zhao said knowledge should still be the focus of school, but it would be better to enable students to seek out what interests them, so that they stay engaged.

What’s best for students?

* Zhao says obsession with test results ultimately hurts students’ employability.
* Countries that top international tests often churn out graduates with little creativity.
* Knowledge should still be the focus of school, but it would be better to enable students to seek out what interests them, so they stay engaged.

The Digital Lives of Teens: Turning “Do As I Say” into “Do As I Do”

via Edutopia

Internet Learning: Meeting Students Where They Live

The ‘Forward-looking’ CFO: Linking Financial Rigor with Leadership

Global organizations operating in the contemporary business landscape need to tightly link financial rigor and strategic insight. Increasingly, senior financial executives are playing influential roles in strategy development and implementation, working closely with the CEO and the board to creatively assess and design growth opportunities.

The question is: Are CFOs prepared to move beyond the number-crunching function to act and lead in this capacity? Wharton’s Jason Wingard and John Percival discuss this and other issues.

http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/podcast_archive.cfm?podcastID=2

LA Will Give All 640,000 Students an iPad by End of 2014

I am optimistic that this will be a program that changes the way we look at technology in the classroom (on a large scale). It will also provide a model to replicate for our schools across the country. I look forward to seeing the documentation and data.

Links about the program:

http://techwire.net/literacy-2-0-la-schools-put-tablets-on-the-table/

http://ktla.com/2013/08/11/new-school-year-brings-health-services-ipads-for-lausd-students/#axzz2bwdihskF

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/apr/25/local/la-me-ln-lopez-tablet-experiment-lausd-20130425

via Electronista

Apple contract will kick off with 31,000 iPads, covers all K-12 students

A total of more than a half-million iPads will be given out by the Los Angeles Unified School District, covering 1,124 schools by the end of 2014 in a deal worth “hundreds of millions” to Apple — far larger than the $30 million contract initially reported. That contract covers only the first deployment of iPads, covering 49 schools and an estimated 31,000 students that will be given out by the end of the year. As reported earlier, Apple will be the sole vendor for the ambitious project, resulting in costs of nearly $415 million over the first two years for the iPads alone.

The schools covered including all grades from Kindergarten through high school, and target in particular students who otherwise would not have access to the technology. The bulk of the total cost is the $678 per iPad fixed cost, which will come pre-loaded with Pearson e-textbooks and other educational apps that make up the remainder of the money. Each iPad will also come with a full three-year warranty, and allow the district to keep its learning materials completely up-to-date. Indeed, despite the large sums involved, the LAUSD believes it will save money compared to the costs associated with providing traditional textbooks and other educational materials to the schools.

Other tablets were considered and rejected as being “lesser” than the iPad, despite pressure from other vendors (particularly Microsoft) to diversify the program to include a range of tablet models. The board voted unanimously to reject this approach and give iPads to all students, following (on a grander scale) programs across the nation that offer iPads as a replacement for most traditional school materials. Studies have supported the notion that the cutting-edge technology found in tablets helps students learn by being more flexible in approaches, and able to support apps to tailor the learning experience to each student’s needs.

Apple had said at the time the deal was announced that it was the first step of a larger rollout with LA schools, but the details and scale of the project were finally revealed by CITEworld, an educational journal. A number of colleges are now also requiring or providing iPads, acknowledging the “post-PC” scenario that is likely to be even more prominent for everyday computing use in the future.

4 Reasons Why the Common Core Standards are Losing Popularity

What do you think? I am an advocate for change but I am also an advocate for common sense and the Common Core does not pass the Common Sense meter for me. I have spoken about this and written about it as well since 2011 when it was adopted by so many states across the country. The assessments don’t make sense either so can someone out there show me the data that states this will change things for the better, so far the data is horrific!!!

via eSchool News

In what could be compared to, well, many education reform initiatives over the years—educational technology included—a once-widely, and quickly, accepted initiative is dividing the education community; begging the question, ‘Are the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) just another flash in education’s pan?’

45 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the CCSS in what was once lauded as a giant step in the right direction in trying to improve student achievement and college- and career-readiness.

The K-12 Standards, developed for Mathematics and English Language Arts, are designed to bring student learning into the 21st Century through the inclusion of, and focus on, digital media, social learning tools, critical thinking skills, and online assessments.

Yet, many states, policy makers, and educators are saying that though giving the go-ahead was easy, successful implementation planning didn’t factor well enough into the decision to adopt, causing problems states are only now beginning to fully comprehend.

Here you’ll find the four most widely discussed contentions with CCSS. Do you think these points are valid? Are there any other issues concerning CCSS not mentioned on the list that you’d like to discuss? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section below!

1. Limited resources for implementation

States that are already strapped for funding and have adopted the CCSS have spent many millions of dollars to create curriculum around them, implement them, and create tests aligned to the standards. The federal government also contributed roughly $360 million to help develop core-aligned tests.

But some states are now prohibiting spending for CCSS implementation. Examples include Kansas, Arizona, Michigan, and Indiana. Many states representatives say the cost of teacher training, new textbooks and materials, as well as the educational technology and IT foundation needed to successfully implement the CCSS, was not discussed properly prior to adoption.

2. Underdeveloped high stakes testing

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) recently called for a moratorium on the high-stakes implications of Common Core testing until the standards have been properly implemented.

“These standards, which hold such potential to create deeper learning, are instead creating a serious backlash—as officials seek to make them count before they make them work…And it is happening throughout the country,” said Weingarten. (Read “Editorial: Make the Common Core standards work before making them count.”)

And Weingarten isn’t the only one. The Los Angeles Times Editorial Board also urged city officials to delay CCSS testing until implementation is completed.

“Experts are divided over the value of the new curriculum standards, which might or might not lead students to the deeper reading, reasoning and writing skills that were intended,” the board explained. “But on this much they agree: The curriculum will fail if it isn’t carefully implemented with meaningful tests that are aligned with what the students are supposed to learn…it would be better off delaying the new curriculum a couple of years and doing it right, rather than allowing common core to become yet another educational flash in the pan that never lives up to its promise.”

Parents have also started a campaign to “opt” their children out of the Common Core-aligned high-stakes standardized tests. For example, parents in both Utah and New York are voicing their concerns on whether or not the CCSS are valid.

3. Not aligned for college-readiness

A recent report reveals that although most states have adopted the CCSS, their diplomas remain CCSS deficient. Of the 45 states and the District of Columbia that have voluntarily adopted Common Core, only 11 have aligned their graduation requirements in mathematics with those standards. (Read “Report: High school diplomas don’t support Common Core.”)

“They do not require high school graduates to complete the math classes that typically cover the content described in the new standards,” explains the report. “Until states and districts re-examine their graduation policies, a high school diploma will not necessarily signify college- and career-readiness as envisioned by the Common Core.”

4. Stifling creativity

Apart from many questioning the validity of the CCSS’ claims that the new standards will better teach students the skills they need to be college- and career-ready, many in the education sector are worried that the CCSS will become a new No Child Left Behind (NCLB)—turning today’s brightest minds into testing automatons.

“The world changes. The future is indiscernible. Clinging to a static strategy in a dynamic world may be comfortable, even comforting, but it’s a Titanic-deck-chair exercise,” explained Marion Brady, a veteran teacher, administrator, curriculum designer, and author in a recent Washington Postarticle.

Brady said that the CCSS assume that what kids need to know is covered by one or another of the traditional core subjects. “In fact,” she said, “the unexplored intellectual terrain lying between and beyond those familiar fields of study is vast, expands by the hour, and will go in directions no one can predict.”

“The word ‘standards’ gets an approving nod from the public (and from most educators) because it means ‘performance that meets a standard,’” she continued. “However, the word also means ‘like everybody else,’ and standardizing minds is what the Standards try to do. Common Core Standards fans sell the first meaning; the Standards deliver the second meaning. Standardized minds are about as far out of sync with deep-seated American values as it’s possible to get.”

27 Tips For Mentoring New Teachers

via Edudemic

How does a teacher go from just a teacher to a great teacher? Some say that some people are just naturally great teachers. Others might believe that it is the education that they receive. And others yet, point to the mentors that these new teachers have when they start out teaching. The handy infographic below shows tips for new teachers, mentors, and administrators to help all parties involved get the most out of seasoned teachers mentoring new ones. So if you’re looking for some quick tips and tricks to mentoring new teachers, this is for you.

Our Favorite Tips

For Mentors: Find the strengths of the new teacher. Work together to find ways to implement and enhance these strengths.

For New Teachers: Ask. If something confuses you, ask.

For Administrators: Select mentors with care. Choose the risk taker, the early adopter, the seasoned, or those with other special mentoring skills.

‘Active’ Student Engagement Goes Beyond Class Behavior, Study Finds

via Education Week

Some warning signs are easy to spot: It’s well-established that the kid goofing off in the back of the classroom, who plays hooky and turns in homework late, is disengaged, and at a higher risk of falling behind and eventually dropping out of school. But where are the red flags for the student who sits quietly, answers when spoken to, and politely zones out?

A new study, published online in the journal Learning and Instruction, probes how more subtle facets of student engagement can be harder to flag, but just as critical for their long-term academic success.

“When we talk about student engagement, we tend to talk only about student behavior,” said lead author Ming-Te Wang, a Pittsburgh education psychology assistant professor, in a statement. But, Wang added, “that doesn’t tell us the whole story. Emotion and cognition are also very important.”

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Michigan tracked more than 1,000 mostly minority students from 23 public middle schools in a Maryland suburb of Washington. At the beginning of 7th grade and the end of 8th grade, the researchers interviewed the students about their school climate, such as the emotional support they felt from administrators, teachers, and other students, their ability to choose projects and teammates for class assignments, and whether they considered the material they learned relevant to their lives. Separately, the researchers assessed the students on three areas of school engagement:

• Behavioral engagement, including how often the student completed homework on time, followed school rules, and responded in class discussions;
• Emotional engagement, including whether the student felt interested in his or her class subjects and accepted in the school culture; and
• Cognitive engagement, including how well the student managed and monitored his or her own learning.

What works to improve students’ behavior only sometimes engages them emotionally and cognitively, the researchers found. Students who reported that their teachers set clear expectations and responded to them consistently were more likely to participate in class and feel connected with school. But a teacher’s emotional support didn’t directly affect students’ cognitive engagement with their coursework; rather, students were more likely to voice interest and take greater ownership of their learning when they considered what they were studying to be personally interesting and relevant.

Similarly, giving students more choices and control over their schoolwork did not improve their motivation or make them feel more academically competent unless the choices were aligned with the students’ personal interests. “Opportunities for decisionmaking or freedom of action are less important than the extent to which the decisionmaking and action opportunities available reflect personal goals, interests, or values,” the authors write. For example, the authors recommend that teachers might “explicitly illustrate and explain the relevance of tasks to the personal goals and interests of students when providing them with choices.”

Moreover, the researchers found different approaches effective for different types of students: “Usually people say, ‘Yes, autonomy is beneficial. We want to provide students with choices in school,’ This is the case for high achievers, but not low achievers,” Wang said. “Low achievers want more structure, more guidelines.”

The full article is scheduled to appear in the December 2013 print issue of Learning and Instruction.

Five-Minute Film Festival: Nine Boosts for Late-Summer Learning

via Edutopia

Wow, it’s been a busy summer. August completely snuck up on me — and for many parents and educators, it’s nearly back-to-school time. After all the June chatter about summer slide and learning loss, even the most well-intentioned parents have probably let their kids zone out in front of the television. But in a matter of weeks, we need to have those little learners ready to re-engage in their education and start a whole new year.

So, I have pulled together some resources to get kids excited about learning again. Skip the worksheets — consider these ideas a way to prime the little ones for heading back into the classroom, without losing the joy and freedom of the last few weeks of their break. Maybe they’ll find these activities so fun, they’ll stay engaged in learning outside the classroom well into the fall!

Video Playlist: Late Summer Learning Boosters

Keep watching the player below to see the rest of the playlist, or view it on YouTube.

Welcome to Wonderopolis! (01:44)

The National Center for Family Literacy puts together this website and offers daily emails with thought-provoking questions to send your kids on a journey of discovery all year ’round. Sign up at the Wonderopolis website.

Start A DIY Club! (01:13)

DIY.org is one of the coolest free online communities for kids I’ve ever encountered. It offers projects that encourage kids to learn all kinds of new skills and share their work, individually or by forming clubs. Learn more from their guides for parents and educators.

Exploratorium: Changing the Way the World Learns (02:10)

Late summer is a perfect time to visit a local children’s museum. In the San Francisco Bay Area, we’re so lucky to have the Exploratorium, but check out the Association of Children’s Museums to find one near you.

How Kids Can Learn From Apps, Websites & Games (02:15)

So you’re unable to peel your child off that device? Common Sense Media offers quick tips on choosing the best games and apps for learning. Use their database of reviews or mobile app to find information by title.

The Bubbleologist – The Code (01:52)

One way to get a constant stream of learning prompts is to follow a great curator. Check out The Kid Should See This website orTwitter feed – Rion Nakaya’s collection of not-made-for-kids videos for kids.

Book Domino Chain World Record (03:01)

I couldn’t resist including this epic domino book chain that the Seattle Public Library did to promote reading and going to the public library. Keep those kids with their noses in books all year!

Homemade Geyser Tube – Sick Science #149 (01:06)

Got a bored kid? Turn them on to Steve Spangler’s YouTube channel or his website for messy and mystifying science experiments you can do at home with basic materials. Bonus: Ted-Ed flip on Mentos + Coke geysers!

Audri’s Rube Goldberg Monster Trap (04:07)

Want to have your kids learn hands-on physics while keeping them busy for hours? Build a Rube Goldberg machine! Edu-curator Larry Ferlazzo has a great resource page – this video is a favorite.

Student Writing Center 826 Valencia (02:06)

If there’s an 826 Writing Center near you, get there quick. They offer writing workshops for kids in 8 cities around the US. Each one is connected to a unique storefront — like the Bigfoot Research Institute in Chicago or the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co.

More Ways to Boost End-of-Summer Engagement

I hope you’ve been inspired to get up and do some fun activities in these last weeks of vacation. Here are more resources for keeping kids engaged outside of school — all year!

Links for Summer Learning and Summer Slide

• National Summer Learning Association
• Articles tagged with “summer slide” on MindShift
• “Encouraging Year-Round Learning,” by Sarah Caron, SheKnows Parenting
• “#EdTechChat – Prevent Summer Slide with Digital Tech,” Getting Smart
• Summer Learning, Crafts & Activities – Pinterest Board by WeAreTeachers

Links from the Video Playlist Above

• Wonderopolis
• DIY.org
• Association of Children’s Museums locator tool
• Common Sense Media Reviews
• The Kid Should See This
• Steve Spangler Science

Amy Erin Borovoy’s Blog

In 20 Years, We’re All Going To Realize This Apple Ad Is Nuts

via Fastcodesign

APPLE’S “DESIGNED IN CALIFORNIA” AD INADVERTENTLY DEMONSTRATES THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM OF THE PERSONAL ELECTRONICS AGE, AND ONCE YOU SEE IT, YOU CAN’T UNSEE IT.

“This is it. This is what matters. The experience of a product.”

These are the opening words of Apple’s heartstring-tugging “Designed In California” commercial. Read them to yourself a few times. Then wonder why someone inside the company didn’t insist upon this copy edit:

“This is it. This is what matters. The experience of a person.”

Apple 20 Years Later 

Watch the ad closely for me. As we’re told that products are what matter, we see a series of shots in which people actively turn away from life to engage with their technology.

• A woman closes her eyes on the subway to soak in electronic music.
• A room of students looks down at their desks instead of at their teacher.
• A parent and child cuddle, focused on a screen that’s so powerful it illuminates the kid’s face.
• A couple kisses in the rain, then immediately turn away to look at a phone.
• A tourist opts to FaceTime instead of bathing in visceral, smoky yakitori.

In what should be a warm, humanizing montage, people are constantly directing their attention away from one another and the real, panoramic world to soak in pixels. They’re choosing the experience of their products over the experience of other people several times in quick succession. And Apple has a warm voice in the background, goading us on.

This is a crazy world. Please tell me you see it, too.

Now I’m not saying the ad isn’t representative of real human behavior. Indeed, since Apple changed the world with the iPhone’s multitouch screen, the fundamental interactions behind our gadgets are designed to constantly lure us back into the four-inch world, nudging us with vibration, push notifications, and impromptu xylophone solos to almost touch all of the people in our lives doing the same thing on another four-inch screen somewhere else.

My fundamental problem with the ad–why it’s begun to make my shoulders tense and stomach churn every time it comes on TV–is not that it’s lying about how we use technology, but Apple’s consecrating the behavior, and even going on to say that their products, not the lives they serve, are “what matters.“ That outlook is so different from Apple’s other recent, non-advertised piece on design.

Ironically, in Apple’s flag-planting ad about design, their marketing department (and at least a few execs) have shown how fundamentally little they understand about the field. Design is at its heart a service for humanity, it’s crafting solutions for people to live with more security, efficiency, or happiness. So the experience of a product will never be what matters to a great designer. It’s always been about the experience of a person using that product.

It’s the most subtle, most important difference that this ad buries under its own hubris. And the commercial’s own audience seems to agree.

__________________________________________________________________

Mark Wilson

Mark Wilson is a writer who started Philanthroper.com, a simple way to give back every day. His work has also appeared at Gizmodo, Kotaku, PopMech, PopSci, Esquire, American Photo and Lucky Peach.