Matt Mason is an award winning instructional designer and writes some of our most popular blogs. Here Matt considers the importance of tracking learning, and how to do this using a powerful tool - xAPI.What is xAPI?xApi is a powerful tool that can be used to track learning events and other data. The simplest description of […]

Cindy Etherton has always been inspired by the idea of "What if…". It motivated her during her years as an Oregon teacher of elementary, middle and at risk high school students helping her to push the boundaries of content requirement possibilities and as she collaborated with her colleagues. She is passionate about providing the best support to other teachers as they envision their own "what if…" projects. Cindy will be presenting 4 sessions at NCCE 2016 this year! Session information is listed at the bottom of this post. Name: Cindy Etherton Location: Salem, Oregon Current job(s): Innovative Learning Strategist in Salem-Keizer School District; K12 Launch Consultant Current computer: Surface Current mobile device(s): Note 5, iPad One word that best describes how you teach or work: Intentional Show us a screenshot of your mobile device’s home screen! The background picture is from my son’s office window in the Puget Sound. What apps/software/tools can you not live without? Google Apps has been my go to tool for a long time. I love the ability that I have to collaboratively work with others gaining their ideas in real time regardless of where we all might be. I am finding OneNote to be another organizational tool that is gaining importance as well. I appreciate having an online notebook that can be visually and informationally organized using pictures, video and text. As I work with others, I am also enjoying using YouCanBook.Me. This scheduling tool allows those I work with to make appointments so that I can best work with them during a time that is most convenient for them. This then syncs with my calendar. It sure beats a series of emails to arrange a time! Share with us a time when you failed in your teaching or learning pursuits. How did you persevere? I fail every day and see it as a simple step forward. Because of this mindset, I just don’t get as flustered. I love to move ideas forward which means that I won’t be the expert (or "successful") every time. That is okay. Just recently, I had a situation where-it seemed-all was going wrong. I stopped and thought about my objective and concentrated on that. This thought reset allowed me to change my plans and continue. While things didn’t turn out as I had originally planned, they were successful because I reached my objective and understand better what the next steps will be. What is your favorite organizational tip, app or advice? I learned this tip from another educator and it has made me a more productive person. I make my To Do List before I leave work each day. When I arrive in the morning, I can look at that list and just get started…with a coffee in hand, of course. What browser do you use regularly? Chrome. I love all of the extensions that I can take advantage of as a result. Snagit, Ginger and TabCloud are some of my favorites. What are your most valuable classroom/work routines? Using my email as a task list and categorizing the rest has been revolutionary. My goal is to get my email to zero each day. While I am not always successful in this, it sure helps me prioritize things better. What is your favorite avenue to connect with social media? Twitter is my go to PLN source. I love the ideas and conversations that I can have with colleagues. Using my GEG: Oregon Google+ and local Slack groups also help me stay connected locally with new ideas and trends as well as being aware of what my local colleagues are thinking about. What app or web service, not currently in existence, do you wish someone would develop? A chocolate delivery service would be a great place to start. As a tech-savvy teacher, what everyday thing do you feel you excel with/at versus other teachers/administrators/mentors? I am a practical visionary. I can see potential in ordinary things and move ideas to the next level through a simple attainable goals while enabling others to contribute to the mission using their strengths and abilities. What is the best teaching advice you have received? Failure is just another word for learning. What are you currently reading? I am reading Poke the Box as a way to push myself to "start something". I am always have a mystery book available. Audio books are a regular part of my drive to work every day. What fantastic tech-savvy educator would you like to refer to us? Jeremy Macdonald, Katie Reel, and Emily Cunningham Any parting thoughts you would like to share with our readers? Good instruction is at the heart of any innovation whether it is the introduction of technology or using new curriculum. Good instruction breeds great results. It is also a learning process for everyone involved. Expertise is not instantaneous; it is a process of learning…failing and trying again. Cindy will be presenting the following sessions at NCCE 2016: Let’s Build A Digital Toolbox For Creation, Collaboration And Content Resources! Thursday, February 25 | 1:00 PM - 1:50 PM | Room: Tahoma 4 Description: To start is half way to the finish line! In this workshop, we will explore useful tools to add to your digital toolbox. This hands-on workshop will give you the opportunity to investigate options that are not tied to any device or student age. Let’s build! Google Apps Vs Office 365: Smackdown Or Shakeup? FEATURED SPEAKER Thursday, February 25 | 3:00 - 3:50 PM | Room: Chelan 4 Description: As instructional and workflow tools develop, we find our favorites and settle in. What if a district decides that two major tools should work in harmony? Lessons learned from Salem-Keizer SD will be shared regarding how to create innovation from a potentially combative situation. In this session, we will look the advantages and weakness of both tools while sharing ideas of how to maximize all that Google Apps and Office 365 they have to offer in the classroom and a district as a whole. Peer Mentors: Fostering The Fire Of Innovation Friday, February 26 | 10:30 AM - 11:20 AM | Room: Tahoma 5   Description: Mentors often provide support, encouragement and motivation as new ideas are implemented. Peer mentors help the fire of innovation and change to catch providing a sustainable model for future years and greater growth. This presentation will involve a panel discussion made up of mentors and mentees as well as on overview of the Salem-Keizer Public Schools Innovators program. Identifying Quality Apps, Websites, And Games For Learning Friday, February 26 | 1:00 PM - 1:50 PM | Room: Tahoma 5 Description: Educators must sift through a sea of digital apps, websites, and games to determine which are high quality. Learn how to discover, use, and integrate the best digital learning products using the free resource Graphite by Common Sense Education. Teachers can also find rigorous reviews of CCSS aligned learning products. The post Meet a Tech Savvy Teacher: Cindy Etherton @EthertonC appeared first on NCCE's Tech Savvy Teacher Blog.

I hope everyone enjoyed the last episode of the podcast with some of the non-profits from throughout the nation which focus on adapted physical activity.This was the second episode where we included the new portion of the show called, "What's New in the History of APE/APA"! This episode focused on the origins of Special Olympics. I hope you all enjoy! 

In part one of this two-part series, I explored the features of the Dell XPS 15 Touch laptop computer. I was given the laptop by Dell to review and figure out the best way to integrate it into my workflow as an educational technologist.  Dell XPS 15 Touch I have been a Mac user for the past seven years, and was excited to both set-up and use the powerful Dell XPS 15 Touch and also investigate the updated features in the new version of Windows.  Many workforce users have two phones-- a work phone and personal phone. And others work on one computer operating system at work or school and on a different operating system at home. Can I learn the best way to use either my Dell XPS 15 Touch or my MacBook Pro Retina to get my work done?MY JOURNEYAfter spending time learning about the Dell XPS 15 Touch, I started getting it set-up with the tools and apps that were necessary to me. Of course, Windows 10 comes with a Snipping Tool that I will use regularly for screenshots. I installed my main collaboration tools — a Twitter client and Skype. I installed Adobe Premiere Elements and Photoshop Elements and various Adobe Creative Cloud applications. The rendering time of videos in both Adobe Premiere Elements and Adobe Premiere was super speedy on the Dell XPS 15 Touch. Microsoft 10 Snipping Tool Adobe Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements for Windows I have a subscription to Office 365 on my Mac, so installing it on the Dell XPS15 Touch was a given. I am also a huge OneNote user on all of my other devices, so I had t omake sure that was available. And, because Office 365 for Window includes Microsoft Publisher, I was re-united with this great program! I have yet to find something to rival it for the Mac.Microsoft Office 365 In addition to having access to Microsoft Publisher, I was also happy to again be able to use some of my favorite (legacy) Windows software apps. I quickly downloaded Microsoft Photo Story 3 and Microsoft Movie Maker. I was also able to try out Office Sway, a great creation tools for Windows and which is also available for iPad (but not available on the Mac). Test of Microsoft Sway I was pleasantly surprised to see how easy it was to sync all my Microsoft Office documents using OneDrive. Everything stayed in sync across the Windows, Mac, and iOS platforms. The easiest solution to the sharing of files between the Dell XPS 15 Touch and the MacBook laptops is to use either the OneDrive or the Dropbox online file storage sites. I already have documents in both online services, and there are clients for both computer platforms and my mobile platform, so it will be a workable solution to use both. I am also a user of Google Drive through the Web browser, and I was easily able to get to my stored and shared files by using any of the Web browsers I had instgalled on the Dell XPS 15 Touch. I also installed the Google Drive app on the Dell XPS 15 Touch since I had just moved all my photos into Google Photos. Google Drive  To be able to project my iPad screen to the Dell XPS 15 Touch for presentation purposes, I installed Air Squirrels’ Reflector 2 app on the laptop. This Windows (or Mac) program turns your laptop into a wireless AirpPay device for your iOS devices. Since the laptop in a classroom is usually attached via a cable to a projector, Reflector 2 allows you or a student to project their iPad for the rest of the class by mirroring it onto the laptop and you are not tethered. Reflector 2 also allows you to record the projected iPad via the computer, so it is a great tool for creating an iPad tutorial or demo. I am not setting my iPad to backup to this Windows machine, but I did install iTunes to have my music library on the Dell XPS 15 Touch and to be able to move files from the desktop to the iPad if necessary. In addition, I can access Apple's iCloud through the browser to view and present my  Pages, Numbers, and Keynote documents. iCloud via the Web browser iTunes for Windows on the Dell XPS 15 Touch I am a big Keynote user and my presentations are often huge, complex, and include lots of videos. When I try to save the presentation out of Keynote as a PowerPoint presentation, I am often disappointed with the look, the slide layouts, and the rendering of some of the videos. (Simple presentations easily move from Keynote to PowerPoint.) And, if I create the presentation in PowerPoint, it transitions a little better when opened in Keynote, but it is still not perfect. I will create and present in PowerPoint when using the Dell XPS 15 Touch, and, when using the Mac, I can use PowerPoint for Mac (instead of Keynote) showcase the presentation created on the Dell, and vice versa. PowerPoint for Windows I often create podcasts and audio files for videos, and the best local solution for success in a dual platform world is to use Audacity. Audacity is an easy to use, open-source piece of software that works great on both the Dell XPS 15 Touch  and the MacBook. Audacity The extremely high resolution on the Dell XPS 15 Touch allows me to have two browser windows open. This is just perfect when I need to grade my graduate students' papers and view their online work at the same time! It is so nice to have that bright, 4K Ultra HD touch screen with the 3840 x 2160 resolution!  Two browser windows open on the Dell XPS 15 Touch Most of my other work is done via online tools, many of which can be found on this page of my site, Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything. The Dell XPS 15 Touch worked perfectly with all of the tools and via all of the major browsers. Having the touchscreen available when working with the online tools really made the use of these tools easier and much faster!  SUMMARY Can I learn the best way to use either my Dell XPS 15 Touch or my Macbook Pro Retina to get my work done? I really believe, since many of the major tools are available on both platforms, with the prevalence of online file storage sites, and more and more online tools, it no longer really matters whether I pick up my Dell XPS 15 Touch or my MacBook Pro Retina to complete a task. I can get my work done on either of them and can easily share documents between the two machines, too.   However, with most specs being pretty equal between my two laptops (the Dell XPS 15 Touch and the MacBook Pro Retina), the Dell XPS 15 Touch still comes out ahead due to its great feature set.  The Dell XPS 15 Touch's bright UltraSharp 4K Ultra HD touchscreen makes it easier and more efficient to use than the MacBook Pro, and, combined with the longer battery life and the single USB adapter for hooking up to multiple projectors and Ethernet, the Dell XPS 15 Touch is a winning combination of speed, build, and usability for a road warrior like me!   Visit Kathy's Web pages: Kathy Schrock's Home Page Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything

The Nature Conservancy and its 550 scientists have created a site called Nature Works Everywhere "to help students learn the science behind how nature works for us - and how we can keep it running strong. This project gives teachers, students and families everything they need to start exploring and understanding nature around the globe alongside Nature Conservancy scientists."On March 16, 2016, the Nature Conservancy, as part of its Nature Works Everywhere project, will offer a free, real-time, virtual field trip aimed at students in grades 3-8. The field trip is entitled "How Nature Works in Coastal Peru: The Amazing Biodiversity of a Coastal Ecosystem".  The field trip will be hosted by Matias Caillaux, a Nature Conservancy fisheries scientist.  Students will learn about the Humboldt Current—a cold water current that pushes nutrients from the deepest ocean toward the surface, forming the basis of a unique and abundant ecosystem in which visitors find a variety of sea birds, flamingos, and even penguins!During the field trip, students will will learn that the productivity of this ecosystem is not only important to its animal inhabitants, but to the success of the region’s fishing industry as well.  They will also discover what’s being done to protect this vulnerable ecosystem so that both people and animals can continue to thrive.To support the virtual field trip to Peru, the Nature Conservancy and the Nature Works Everywhere project provides interactive online materials to use to introduce the topic before attending the online field trip or viewing the archive, or after the event to follow-up on some of the important aspects of this ecosystem. Fishing for a Future: The Artisanal Fishers of AncónImage credit: The Nature ConservancyThe Humboldt Current Ecosystem: How Earth Systems Influence Ocean Productivity and BiodiversityImage courtesy of The Nature ConservancyLesson plans, informational handouts, and links to supporting videosWhile working on the lessons and viewing the videos, students will explore sustainable fishing through a specific case study in Peru, which is home to one of the world’s largest fisheries. The fishing activities that occur in the waters off of the coast of Peru represent a microcosm of the rest of the world.The lessons include interactive story maps that allow students to explore the Humboldt Current, El Niño, and artisanal fishing; engage in a fisheries management activity using data; and participate in a Socratic Seminar that explores the challenges of open access fishing areas. Students will understand how the need to protect this ecosystem and effectively manage its resources is important both for its health and for the communities that depend on it. The content of the field trip and the lessons is also aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.Lesson plan and handouts downloadsStudent handout: Fisheries Management (PDF) (Word)Student handout: Humboldt Current (PDF) (Word)Student handout: Anchoveta Socratic Seminar (PDF) (Word)Lesson plan: Fishing for a Future (PDF) (Word)INFORMATION ABOUT THE FIELD TRIPThe field trip will begin at noon Eastern Time (US) on March 16, 2016, and last 45 minutes. The link to sign up is here.If the real-time March 16, 2016 time slot does not work for your class, you can still register to receive the YouTube viewing link after the event. In addition, a bit later, the Nature Conservancy will provide a link to the field trip video on Vimeo.DetailsHow Nature Works in Coastal Peru: The Amazing Biodiversity of a Coastal EcosystemSubject focus: Science and Geography; aligned with the NGSSRecommended age range: Grades 3-8 (but everyone is welcome!)Date: Wednesday, March 16, 2016Time: 12:00 noon Eastern Time (US)Length of virtual event: 45 minutesRegistration link for live event or to receive link to recorded sessionI hope you are able to take your class on this interesting and educational field trip!This is a sponsored post on behalf of We Are Teachers and The Nature Conservancy.I received compensation for this post, however all opinions stated are my own.  Visit Kathy's Web pages: Kathy Schrock's Home Page Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything

The Ariel Group was recently recertified as a B Corp and we are thrilled to be a part of their community of socially conscious businesses! There are more than 1,400 Certified B Corporations in over 120 industries and 40 countries with 1 unifying goal - to redefine success in business. When we learned of B Corp and their Vision and goals, we were immediately struck by how aligned they were to The Ariel Group and our Vision and Principles. B Lab is a nonprofit organization that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good™. Its Vision is that one day all companies compete not only to be the best in the world, but the Best for the World® and as a result society will enjoy a more shared and durable prosperity. B Corporations believe: That we must be the change we seek in the world. That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered. That, through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all. To do so requires that we act with the understanding that we are each dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations. The Ariel Group Core Principles of Integrity, Generosity, Personal Growth, Creativity, Quality, Community, Prosperity, and Make a Difference guide our business strategies, policies, behaviors, and actions and are aimed fulfilling our Vision of creating a world where people can engage authentically and unlock their most generous selves. When we act with integrity and generosity and invest in our personal growth, we enable ourselves to fully express our creativity, perform the highest quality work and develop a deep and broad sense of community. Satisfying those principles leads to prosperity of all kinds, which in turn helps us make a difference in the world. We believe we can make a difference for all of our communities. In addition to helping our corporate business partners strengthen their community through our transformational leadership curriculum, each year Ariel supports our local communities through service initiatives and giving programs (#ArielServes). We are enthusiastic about our roots in the arts and the theater and continue our support of that community, in particular.  We are honored to have also served a number of fantastic non-profits who are doing amazing work in areas outside the arts. In the classroom, we deliver our programs and provide tools for non-profits to positively impact their business, people, and constituencies. We are humbled to have recently served with the UN, the Acumen Fund, Project Hope, Jericho Road, and Cradles 2 Crayons. In the field, we have given our time, expertise, and heavy labor. We have built a home with Habitat for Humanity, rehabbed a playground for Acres Family Daycare, cleaned up the Charles River with the CRWA, farmed for the homeless for Boston Friends of the Homeless, and have coached the underserved in many places. We have led charitable drives and campaigns, donated in-kind goods and services, and made financial donations to organizations near and dear to us, both as a company and on behalf of others. >> You can read more about our #ArielServes initiatives here. We are committed to valuing and supporting our Principles and to supporting other businesses making a difference in their own way - like B Corp. The Ariel Group went through a rigorous assessment, which speaks to the incredible integrity of this organization. The assessment analyzed multiple components of our business including; the impact of our business model; governance and transparency; people and their development, benefits, and comp; Community; and Environment. Then they came for a visit and looked at our offices and talked to our employees. Only those meeting the high bar set on the assessment and onsite visit will go onto become certified. We are happy to have cleared that bar both times. While we did exceedingly well, we also discovered many areas where we could do better. This was valuable feedback and we are thankful to have it. The Ariel Group is proud to be a Certified B Corp and we are excited to join hands in an effort to make a difference.  With 2016 just beginning, the opportunities are bountiful! We are enthusiastic about all the ways we can support and serve our clients, local communities, B Corp and others doing great work! #ArielServes To learn how your company can become a Certified B Corp, go here.   The post Proud to be a B Corp appeared first on Ariel Group.        Related StoriesLet’s Support Emerging Leaders Part 2: Creating a Program for High PotentialsWhy Biases Ruin the WorkplaceVirtual Conflict: Your Focus Determines Your Outcome 

How can I prevent being overcome by nerves when delivering a presentation?  As a facilitator for The Ariel Group, this is a question I get asked quite regularly in the classroom. Whether delivering a high-stakes presentation or chatting in a one-on-one meeting, many of us battle performance anxiety. We feel the butterflies in our stomach. We start to perspire. Our legs shake. Either we barely get the words out of our mouth or they spew out so rapidly no one can keep up. But not to worry. Here are a few tricks we actors keep in our back pockets when we feel nerves bubbling up: Practice. OUT LOUD. Too often, people only prepare for talks and presentations by writing notes on slides and perhaps practicing quietly in their heads. No matter how large (or small) your audience is, it’s crucial to practice your presentation out loud. And eventually ask some friends to sit in as you rehearse. Getting feedback before your moment can help make it stronger. Socialize with the audience before. They’re just people after all. By socializing with your audience beforehand and learning what they’re interested in, you can say something like "I was talking to Marge beforehand and this is an issue for her too." It makes you more relatable as a speaker and you’ll feel like you have some "friends" in the crowd. Have a mantra. Have confidence in yourself and your experience. When all else fails, talk yourself up! Before you begin, say to yourself: "This audience can’t WAIT to hear what I have to say!" or "What I have to say is valuable." If you think it sounds hokey or contrived, I used to be right there with you, until I tried it. And believe me when I say it’s just hokey enough to work. Give it a shot. Visualize yourself making the worst mistake possible. It may sound awful, but think what would happen if "x" happened? Figure out how you’d move on from it. Have a Plan B. I recently was in a play where the lead actor was sick. During the climactic scene, he literally threw up on stage. The scene stopped. We all exited. The mess was cleaned up swiftly and the show continued. After the show we got a standing ovation and on my way out several audience members asked me, "How did you guys do the vomit? I couldn’t see any tubes!" Your worst case scenario won’t be that bad. Go with the flow, keep on message, and your audience will think you planned the whole thing. Breathe and feel your feet in contact with the ground. Breathing helps us be present and in the moment. When nerves take over, people often forget to inhale and exhale. Exhaling is crucial during presentations. When you hold your breath, you tend to speak faster, at a higher pitch, and get more and more anxious. Find an opportunity when you practice to score your presentation for breaths, meaning find parts where can you take pauses and breathe to ground yourself. To combat nerves hijacking your conversations and presentations, remember this: the audience and you have common ground. You want to inform them; they want to learn from you and hear what you have to say. Your tips want to be received. Believe in yourself and know you have the ability to deliver the information in the best way possible. And don’t be afraid of your nerves. They can provide useful energy if you can use them, rather than letting them use you. What tips do you have for combating nerves? Share them in the comments below.        The post 5 Ways to Calm Your Nerves for Presentations appeared first on Ariel Group.        Related StoriesInside the Ariel Classroom: How Scared Should You Be?How to Fight Vocal FryStories From The Road: Park Avenue, New York 

In December, I wrote a blog with tips on endorsing your people for maximum employee engagement. When I mentioned that managers need to balance a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of specific, positive feedback to constructive/critical feedback, I’ve received slightly panicked comments like, What if there’s not enough positive stuff to say about a person? What if I have nothing good to say? My immediate response to that is, "Are you sure they’re in the right role?" I strongly believe that everyone suffers when someone’s in the wrong job, especially the person in that job. My next response is this: crowd source. If you don’t have anything good to say, quote someone else.  Third-party praise is a powerful tool for making people feel energized, engaged and appreciated. Many years ago, when I was a new Ariel Group facilitator, I attended a picnic thrown by one of the founders of the company. When we introduced ourselves to each other, she smiled widely and said, "I’ve been hearing such wonderful things about your classroom work!" I was so touched and pleased, and that one comment got me through many more months of airport delays and dim hotel ballrooms. When you quote someone else’s positive feedback, you send a message that people in your organization see their colleague’s good work and appreciate it. There is no better feeling to know that you are the subject of praise. Which is why it’s so important to share it. Here’s why: we tend to be more effusive when we are praising someone to someone else. I’ve been working on a theory that giving people direct feedback (both positive and negative) is an intimate act, so when we do it we tend to make less eye contact, our vocal tones flatten, and we use more neutral language. When we share praise about someone else, we are more likely to gush. We use terms like "excellent presenter," "a real asset to this organization," "I don’t know what we’d do without her on our team," etc. If you’re the recipient of this "positive gossip," don’t let it die there. It’s like you have a really juicy secret to share: "Guess what so-and-so said about you!" Just this morning on a call with my CEO, he praised a colleague’s work at a high-profile conference they just attended. I ran to my laptop and emailed her, quoting him directly. Lest you think I’m some kind of Polyanna, I tend to lean towards an anxious pessimism — a direct effect of my Irish Catholic upbringing. But I know how rare endorsement can be in the workplace and what a dramatic effect it can have on employee engagement, so I make it my business to practice it. So, go ahead! Share some third-party praise today. Quote the "praiser" directly. Create some of your own third-party praise that can be shared with others. And for bonus points, practice giving authentic, specific praise directly to your colleagues. The more you do it, the more naturally it will come, and you’ll be one step closer to the connected, engaged organization we all want to be a part of.   The post Spreading Positive Gossip: The Power of Third-Party Praise appeared first on Ariel Group.        Related StoriesLet’s Support Emerging Leaders Part I: Working at the Individual LevelFrom the Director’s Playbook: Endorse, Endorse, EndorseLet’s Support Emerging Leaders Part 2: Creating a Program for High Potentials 

We have released an updated version of Ardour 4.7 for OS X (technically Ardour 4.7.13). The main release included a bug introduced at the last minute that completely broke the operation of all Command-<key> shortcuts. There are no other notable changes at this time. Anyone who downloaded the original 4.7.0 for OS X should get the new one to avoid this issue. Sincere apologies for the lack of full testing of the changes made so close to the release.

There are underlying stories that come to life when we look at what we teach and why we teach it. We hear the most important underlying voices when we choose whose voices will prevail. We often hear that we need to include all voices of students in our classrooms. When we hear that we need […]