Remember Ken Jennings?  Ten years ago, Mr. Jennings set the record for the longest winning streak ever on the syndicated television gameshow Jeopardy!  Since his long streak in 2004, he moved Seattle, appeared on other gameshows, and holds the crown for the all-time leading money winner on gameshows in the United States. Jennings has a lot to say about a topic near and dear to a tech-savvy teacher’s heart as he was, arguably, "replaced" when he was beat by the IBM mega-intelligent super computer Watson in a series of mental sparring matches in 2011.  Watson is an amazing invention, and can answer questions posed to it by natural language.  If you didn’t see the matches in 2011, it is certainly worth your 20 minutes to see this machine at work: As of late, Watson has retired from gameshows and is focusing its efforts on assisting the medical community with diagnosing disease. I recently stumbled upon Jennings giving a TED talk at a TEDx conference at SeattleU.  He talked about the experience, and reflects on a world where his skill, being a "know it all," is being replaced by technology.  I think this discussion is very relevant to classroom debates about the role of teachers and teaching in a world with rapidly evolving technologies. Enjoy!  

Much like the iPad in 2010, the ChromeBook is finding a home in budget-conscious classrooms across the country.  I certainly understand the lure: they are cheap, quite functional and incredibly easy to mange with Google’s excellent set management tools. However, we are getting an increasing number of questions from classroom teachers concerning what to do with these devices.  The inexpensive price makes classroom sets and 1:1 environments a more likely reality, but, in many cases, training is scarce and some otherwise excellent tech-savvy teachers struggle to re-envision their great lessons with the more limited platform. Don’t misread my statement: I love the ChromeBook, and minus a couple of necessary apps, I could likely live on the ChromeBook, and have managed to do so in a number of occasions. So, Mike and I are working on a list: what are the best web-based apps, plugins and other delights that can work in the Chrome-only environment? We have our existing favorite apps:  Evernote‘s web-based interface works well in the environment;  the Google Apps for Education Suite provides enough functionality for the vast majority of computing needs; and there are even excellent media-apps like Spotify, Pandora and even Plex that are all Chrome winners. BUT… what are your go-to apps, either ones that you use in Chrome on your laptop or desktop or apps that YOU use in a ChromeBook environment that help make this device more functional? Comment here, tweet us on Twitter, give us feedback on our form.  We will be compiling this list over the next month for release with a commitment to keep it updated. Thanks for sharing! Feature Photo by Alex Washburn/Wired

VICE PRESIDENT OF CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & ASSESSMENT DISCOVERY EDUCATION Shanika Hope, PhD is Vice President of Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment for Discovery Education. She is responsible for providing leadership in the development of instructional resources including assessments and professional development content that underscores the role of digital content and technology in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and the new assessment systems. She serves as a thought leader and leading expert for the business in the areas of curriculum, standards, assessment and adult learning theory. Shanika has been with Discovery Education since 2010. Prior to joining the company, Shanika served as the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for the District of Columbia. Additionally, she managed and supported more than three dozen DC public schools and public charter schools in various capacities. Additionally, she served as a teacher, principal and school turnaround specialist. She holds a PhD in Education and an MS in Math and Science Education from Old Dominion University and is a member of Phi Delta Kappa and ASCD. Scholastic recently feature an article written by Shanika entitled: Assembly Required: PD for a Digital Age Workshop FA88 - Teachers, Technology And the Common Core Presented by:

NCCE is honored to have Eric Sheninger keynote our annual conference this year.  We asked Eric to share his thoughts on digital leadership.  His thoughtful insights lay a great foundation for what digital leadership looks like in today’s schools: Digital Leadership Effective leadership is extremely important in any system, but it is even more imperative in schools if we are to provide all learners with a world-class education. This education has to be relevant, meaningful, and applicable. At New Milford High School, we have been working for the past four years to transform our culture to one that is primed for student engagement, learning, and achievement. It is my hope that this book will provide a framework for other educators to begin the change process that will ultimately lead to transformation. We all have the capacity to lead no matter what position we hold. So how would one define digital leadership? I think it is important to first look at the concept of leadership in general. Wikipedia defines leadership as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task. Kevin Kruse defines it as a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the achievement of a goal. Both of these definitions highlight the importance of social influence. This leads me to ascertain that social media can be an invaluable tool that educators can harness to move schools, learning, and the profession forward. Leadership is no different today than it was years ago. The only difference is that style and focus need to change with the times if we are to accomplish the lofty task of preparing students for a dynamic world that is more social and connected as a result of technology. Leading in a way that supports the status quo, standardization, outdated practices, and misconceptions related to technology, not only does a disservice to our students, but also renders our schools and profession as irrelevant. Digital leadership takes into account recent changes such as ubiquitous connectivity, open-source technology, mobile devices, and personalization. It represents a dramatic shift from how schools have been run and structured for over a century, as what started out as a personal use of technology has become systemic to every facet of leadership. Digital leadership can thus be defined as establishing direction, influencing others, and initiating sustainable change through the access to information, and establishing relationships in order to anticipate changes pivotal to school success in the future. It requires a dynamic combination of mindset, behaviors, and skills that are employed to change and/or enhance school culture through the assistance of technology. The basic tenets of leadership are still valuable and needed for our schools to succeed. However, the changing times as well as society’s reliance on technology demand an evolution of leadership practices to create schools that our learners deserve, and need, to succeed in today’s world. It all begins with trust. Digital leaders must give up control and trust students and teachers to use real-world tools to unleash creativity and a passion for learning.  The time is now, whether you are a district, building level or teacher leader, to boldly move schools forward in the digital age. Only then will we be able to create and sustain a digital learning culture that is relevant, meaningful, applicable, and provides all students with the skills to succeed. For those looking to begin this journey or take your work to the next level, please check out my book that has just been published.  I believe that the The Pillars of Digital Leadership will provide you with a solid foundation to take enhance and improve your ability to lead meaningful change. The forward was written by Yong Zhao and the book itself has been endorsed by some of today’s most prominent thought-leaders. My book can be accessed using these specific links: Hardcopy (Corwin Press) Electronic eBook (eBooks) - PDF replica of the print version and can be viewed on almost any device except Kindle. Kindle (Amazon) #DigiLead  —- If you want to talk about digital leadership at anytime I have created a hash tag. My hope is that we can use this on Twitter, Google+, Instagram, and Facebook to extend the conversation and our learning on this topic.  Feel free to use it to ask me questions, acquire resources, or just to chat openly about how we can all become more effective leaders in a digital world.

Students understand very little about nutrition.   This may or may not be a surprise to you, but I was completely shocked.  I see 135 students everyday and maybe 3 have a working understanding of nutrition.  I am troubled by this because it is obvious to me that students are filling themselves with whatever is available and not spending any time thinking about: Should I be putting this into my body?  In my preparation for this particular unit I polled my students to see where they are eating.  About 75% answered that they get at least 2-3 meals every week from fast food establishments.  McDonald’s classifies people who frequent their restaurant once a week as "Heavy Users".  Under that classification 3 out of 4 of my students are fast food Heavy Users.  Now combine that with the fact that almost none of them put any thought into what they are eating and the foundation is set for some serious nutritional issues. A tech savvy solution: I stumbled upon a great site that can help your students start to think critically about the fast food choices they are making.  The website is called Drive Thru Diet and it is maintained by Wake Forest Baptist Health.  The site gives you the choice of 21 popular fast food restaurants.  Once you select a restaurant you are given a list of choices of what you would pick for a meal (The screenshot below shows the high school version of myself picking at McDonalds…yes I have grown in my nutritional understanding) After you click on the button "See Our Healthier Choices" you are shown a breakdown of the total Calories, Fat, Sodium, Carbs, Sugar, Fiber, and Protein in the meal.  The site also suggests Healthier Choices you could substitute in your order.  The site goes on to tell you the Healthiest options the restaurant offers. This site is serving two purposes:  The first is it gives students the opportunity to think critically about what they are eating.  The second is it gives us a jumping off point to talk about Calories, Fat, Sugar, Etc.  I hope you find this site as useful as I have.

Many of the largest EdTech companies in Europe released their predictions of what will happen in the e-learning space in 2014.  Their top 12 trends are listed below: Big focus on user engagement From MOOCS to "Selective Online Courses", or SOOCS Widespread adoption of BYOD strategies The rise of data and analytics to drive adaptive learning programmes Mobile casual & informal learning apps Peer-to-peer learning platforms Increased use of video and immersive learning environments Emergence of learning record stores Increased focus on rewards, certification and accreditation Large media corporates actively investing in e-Learning Continued growth in online-enabled private tuition Growing adoption of technology as a delivery mechanism on government-funded vocational skills training market Do you agree with the focus on a greater emphasis on content, user engagement and peer-to-peer learning?  Share you comments below and read more about this press release here.

  Jamie Jarvis Jamie Jarvis is a 7th grade social studies teacher and former district teacher-of-the-year at Lewis & Clark Middle School in Billings, Montana.  Willing to try anything to engage the middle school student, his classroom is alive with inquiry-based learning aimed an immersing students in real-world lessons in the Social Studies.  Most recently, Jamie’s classroom laboratory has produced advanced learning environments utilizing gamification and platforms like schoology to organize his active classroom.  Jamie recently sat down with NCCE to discuss some of his best advice for being a tech-savvy teacher. Name:  Jamie Jarvis Location:  Billings, Montana Current jobs:  7th grade Social Studies teacher at Lewis & Clark Middle School, Lead Teacher for US History at Montana Digital Academy, Educational Travel Guide for Global Travel Alliance. Current computer:  MacBook Pro Current mobile device(s):  iPhone, iPad One word that best describes how you teach or work:  Enthusiastically  What apps/software/tools can you not live without? I love my Zite app!  For those of you familiar with Flipboard, Zite is basically the same thing.  However I am partial to Zite when it comes to professional development articles.  As for software I could not live without Schoology.  Schoology is a dynamic learning management system that adapts to any educational environment. Using Schoology’s engaging tools, teachers can create custom courses, pace students individually or in small groups, and differentiate instruction. It is a comprehensive cloud-based LMS that ensures student engagement and will increase achievement in your class. Share with us a time when you failed in your teaching or learning pursuits.  How did you persevere? Are we talking about my failures for just this week?  Or should I go further back - LOL!  I firmly believe that the word fail is not a bad word.  In my life and in my classroom F.A.I.L. means First Attempt In Learning; and that same lesson of perseverance is what I continually model/ teach my students.  As teachers I think that many of us believe that if we can’t do something perfect in a lesson that we should then look for another avenue - I disagree with that thought process.  Of course we are going to make mistakes and possibly have failure in our classroom.  But, I think that part of being a good teacher is reflecting on what caused the failure, then making adjustments so the lesson is better the next class. Other than your phone and computer, what gadget can you not live without? My Apple TV!  Our family "cut the cable cord" 2 years ago and has never looked back.  My wife was terrified at first, but now with the Netflix app we "binge" on many of our favorite shows.  :)  Not to mention catching other weekly shows through the Hulu app on the Apple TV.  I highly recommend "cutting the cord" for convenience and saving money on your cable bill. What browser do you use regularly? Google Chrome (Firefox when I need to use Screencast-o-matic for creating screencasts) As a tech-savvy teacher, what everyday thing do you feel you excel with/at versus other teachers/administrators/mentors?  Adapting What is the best teaching advice you have received? Rigid-Flexibility…have a solid plan in place, but when the situation calls for it be flexible enough to change and roll with the given situation. What are you currently reading? In my current rotation I have three books:  Drive by Daniel Pink, The Last Man by Vince Flynn, and For The Win by Kevin Werbach & Dan Hunter.  I like to keep three books in the rotation in order to keep things fresh - I am reading Drive & For The Win for ideas about gamification and how to motivate, and The Last Man is part of a series of basic espionage / action books. What fantastic tech-savvy educator would you like to refer to us? Desiree Caskey - Interim Technology Director (Billings Public Schools) & Technology Integration Specialist [Editor's Note: We could agree more.  Desiree? ] Any parting thoughts you would like to share with our readers? Start small.  Don’t think that you have to have a lesson or unit in which technology is the center.  Just like any teaching tool you do not want the technology to drive your lesson.  I take a blended approach to technology in my classroom.  My guiding thought with blended learning is this - will the technology used in this lesson improve student learning and inform my teaching. When it comes to technology in education don’t be afraid to jump in and experiment.  You are not going to break anything so give it a shot.  In many cases you can simply "Google" your question and most likely find direction from an online resource.   You could also look at starting your very own technology PLC before or after school where like-minded teachers gather to help trouble shoot/learn about how to use technology in the classroom. Here is a great B.Y.O.D. site called Kahoot (https://getkahoot.com/) easy to set up, great for formative assessment, and your students will love it!  When I use it in class students are having fun, cheering, competing, and most importantly learning - give it a shot! [Meet-a-Tech-Savvy Educator is a regular feature on the NCCE Blog.  Know someone we should feature here (maybe you)?  Contact us!]

I have received two questions via email and social media over the last two weeks on reviving dead hard drives.   My first question is always "are you using a cloud-based service to back up your critical data?"  If you aren’t, there are some nerdy tricks you can use to try to salvage data. I was interested in this episode of the TWIT.tv show "Know How" that covers this specific subject.  It is an excellent review, even if you don’t have a pending hard drive disaster. But, remember… you can’t beat a backup!

My grandmother wanted to sell her Windows 8 laptop and asked me to help her.  Being the kind grandson I am, I helped get it ready to sell on Ebay.  As I was getting the laptop ready I thought this would make a great post!  (A short aside: My grandmother has decided that Windows 8 "was a bit much" and is sticking with her Windows XP machine…scientific: no; funny: yes) Anytime you would like to get rid of a device the best practice is to restore the device to its factory settings.  Windows 8 makes this process fairly easy if you know where to look: How to Reset Your PC: Open the Settings charm (swipe in from the right and tap Settings or press Windows Key + I), and then select Change PC settings. Tap or click the General category, scroll down, and tap or click the Get started button under Remove everything and re-install Windows. Your next decision will be the type of cleanup operation - Thoroughly or Quickly. The Thorough disk cleanup operation removes all the files from selected disk(s), deletes all the installed applications, and makes data irrecoverable, whereas the quick cleanup option simply deletes your files and installed applications.  If you have the time (6-8 hrs) Thoroughly is the best decision.   That is all you need to do and the computer will be completely restored to its original settings.  If you are planning on selling the machine a few other tips are: Take pictures of the screen before you restore it - this show the screen is functional Take a picture of the Windows ID and System information - again this helps give confidence to the buyer Here is the listing complete with pictures and a restored laptop ready for sale: eBay on my website by Auction Nudge  

Digital storytelling is a great way to engage student learning while offering a powerful assessment.  Digital storytelling is the use of a digital device to tell a story.  A comic strip, movie short, recorded audio, or digital flipbook are all examples of digital storytelling.  This post focuses on apps for creating short movies.  Before we get to the apps, I have a great example of digital storytelling in Math.  This middle school student created a digital story about Adding and Subtracting Integers.  Think for a moment of Bloom’s Taxonomy:  This is a great example of the synthesis level of understanding. On to the best apps for Digital Storytelling.  These two videos created by Epic Tutorials give some great tips and recommendations of apps to use when creating movie shorts.  These videos focus on the preproduction and filming stages.  Enjoy!