Are you allowing students to bring their own devices to learn where you work? If so, you'll want to become familiar with these seven digital resources.  Each resource is followed by a link to more information and advice for use in the classroom. What’s great about all of these tools is they can be used in environments even if students have a regular phone without browser or app capabilities.  Cel.ly - Cel.ly is primarily a free group texting service. Group texting saves time, improves communication, provides documentation of texts, and sets the stage for easily using many other cell phone tools. The Cells referred to in Cel.ly are instant mobile networks. With Cel.ly, you can have open group chat, one-way alerting, or a hybrid where curators can approve messages. Ideas for the classroom at this link.I want more »

Is there a cause or idea your students want to spread? Thunderclap is a great resource to do just that. As described on their site, Thunderclap is the first crowd-speaking platform that helps people be heard by saying something together. You come up with the message and if you reach your supporter goal, Thunderclap will blast out a timed Twitter, Facebook, and/or Tumblr post from all your supporters, creating a wave of attention.Here's a visual overview of how it works: I want more »

Fifth grade student Marissa McEvoy shares an important message for classmates, teachers, and parents:"Technology doesn’t always equal innovation."In her speech to various universities and organizations Marissa tells us innovation means "changing something for the better." When it comes to using technology in school, she is right on target. For example, in many cases interactive whiteboards neither make learning more interactive or better. Word processing can slow down, rather than enhance the writing process, barely reaching the bottom rung of the SAMR model. Just having and using technology does not mean we are doing something better. Marissa shares one of the most important ways we can innovate with or without technology:I want more »

If you love The Innovative Educator blog, you may like some of the books I've written on the topics of technology and learning alternatives. The books hit upon some of my favorite topics including how to turn technology from weapons of mass distraction to tools of engagement, how to harness the power of technology to strengthen the home school connection, and alternatives to learning for those students that are struggling in a traditional school setting. Each book provides practical tips, advice, and real experiences from students, staff, and parents. Check out the images below for a sampling of what you will find.I want more »

There’s a lot of debate about screentime for youth. Not only is it important for teachers to be familiar with the research, but Holly Flanders, CEO of Choice Parenting reminds us that parents, nannies, and any childcare provider must also be armed with accurate information. Flanders was recently quoted in the New York Post explaining why misinformation and misunderstanding can be a problem. "Most nanny relationships fail after a buildup of small issues that explode into something beyond repair." The same holds true for parent-teacher relationships.So what should the adults raising our youth know about screentime?  It may not be what you think.Unlimited screentime is fine... if used responsibly. I want more »

While interest is growing in the usage of mobile devices in school, a report on learning with mobile devices and social media tells us administrators still struggle with key concerns. Nearly half of principals identify teachers who are not trained in how to use mobile devices for instruction as the number one barrier. Teachers cite student distraction as their top concern of mobile use in the classroom.Here are nine actions we must take to make responsible and educationally beneficial use of cellphones and other student devices a reality in the classroom.I want more »

The ultimate learning experience for students is both highly collaborative and extremely personalized, supported by mobile devices and digital content, reports Project Tomorrow in their latest Speak Up report.Over the last few years of the Speak Up survey, more students and administrators have signaled the importance of being able to access mobile devices in the classroom, whether through Bring Your Own Device policy consideration and implementation or through school-provided technology. This year, nearly half of teachers (47 percent) said their students have regular access to mobile devices in their classrooms. Among high school students, 58 percent said they now use their own mobile device at school to support learning activities. Digital equity and access, particularly outside of school, remains an issue important to administrators. Of note this year, among students using mobile devices provided by their schools, half (51 percent of high school students and 46 percent of middle school students) say that their out of school internet connectivity is through a mobile data plan. Not to be forgotten, there are still students who report no regular access to technology in schools: 13 percent of high school students and 21 percent of middle school students.This year’s report, Digital Learning 24/7: Understanding Technology - Enhanced Learning in the Lives of Today’s Students, provides landmark findings on the efficacy and value associated with popular digital learning initiatives: blended learning, online learning, school-assigned mobile devices and STEM learning.  The views, values and experiences of students taking part in these digital learning initiatives are compared with students in more traditional classroom-based education."We hope by highlighting the views and values of today’s students, especially those students who are living a digital learning experience, this year’s report stimulates new discussions around the effective use of digital tools, resources and content to support student learning," said Julie Evans CEO of Project Tomorrow.This year’s report and several data snapshots and infographics will be available here:http://tomorrow.org/speakup/SU14DigitalLearningPlaybook_StudentReport.htmlStudents in Blended Learning EnvironmentsWhether driven by parental demands for increased personalization or higher goals for student achievement, many administrators are finding that blended learning environments hold great promise.  In fact, 45 percent of district administrators in this year’s Speak Up surveys indicate that the implementation of blended learning models within their district was already yielding positive results. (Speak Up used the iNACOL definition of blended learning that includes both supervised learning in school and self-paced learning when students have some level of control over the learning process.) While 63 percent of students in grades 6-12 agreed that blended learning would be a good way for them to learn, just one-quarter of students indicate that they are currently learning in a blended environment (25 percent of students in grades 6-8 and 23 percent of students in grades 9-12). Elementary schools may also be exploring various types of blended learning. Twenty-one percent of students in grades 3-5 reported regularly watching videos of lessons developed by their teachers outside the classroom (a common practice of flipped learning, which is a version of blended learning).Students in blended environments use technology more frequently than their peers in more traditional classroom settings. In addition to use in the classroom, these students are also more likely to self-direct their learning outside of school by tapping into mobile apps, finding online videos to help with homework, emailing their teachers with questions and posting content they create online for comment. When asked about the benefits of blended learning, 64 percent of these students in grades 6-12 noted being able to learn at their own pace, 63 percent reported developing creativity skills and 61 percent said collaborating more with their peers.Students Learning 100 Percent OnlineThe availability of online learning continues to increase with only 27 percent of high school principals reporting that they are not yet offering any online courses for students. Interest among students continues to grow. Only 8 percent of high school students were interested in fully online learning in 2013. In this year’s report, nearly a quarter (24 percent) said they wish they could take all their classes online. Interest among middle school students in taking at least some classes online is even greater. For example, 44 percent would like to take math classes online, compared to 25 percent of high school students."The interest in online learning, at least for some classes, is much greater among students in grades 6 to 8, indicating that there will be even greater demand for these types of classes by the time they reach high school," noted Evans.As expected, digital experiences for students in a 100 percent virtual environment are much different than those in traditional schools. For instance, 72 percent of high school students in virtual schools take online tests, compared with 58 percent of traditional students. Students in virtual environments create fewer PowerPoint presentations (43 percent compared to 70 percent), but they create and post more online content than their peers (28 percent versus 18 percent). Students in virtual classrooms are twice as likely to text message their teachers with schoolwork questions (29 percent) than students in traditional learning environments (15 percent).Students with School-Assigned DevicesStudents with a personally assigned mobile device report greater usage of digital tools and resources to support schoolwork than students who do not have regular technology access at school. For instance, 66 percent of students with assigned laptops report creating presentations, compared to 49 percent of students with no assigned technology. Nearly 40 percent of students with assigned tablets report watching teacher created videos, compared to just 21 percent of students without.Almost three-quarters of students with school-provided devices as well as students with limited or non-existent technology access at school agreed that every student should be able to use a mobile device during the school day for learning.When it came to particular types of devices, students see the smartphone as the ideal device for communicating with teachers (46 percent) and classmates (72 percent) and for social media (64 percent). Laptops were the preference for middle school students for writing school reports (87 percent), taking online tests (74 percent) and doing Internet research (59 percent). "I have many apps on my phone that help me on school a lot," reported a female high school student in Guam. "I have a homework app that organizes all of my homework and reminds me when something is due. Also, I have another app where it is like an online note card and it’s easier for me to test myself on a subject outside of school instead of bringing my papers where I go.  On my tablet, there are applications that have almost every subject and teach you lessons for instance, a lesson in algebra 2 or how to balance an equation for chemistry."Students in STEM Learning ExperiencesTo explore the relationship between participation in STEM learning and students’ views on digital learning, the report compares data from students in three specific types of STEM environments with students not in these programs. Speak Up identified students participating in after school computer programming (coding) clubs, school sponsored technology support teams and STEM Academies. Students in all three studied STEM learning environments are more likely than other students to tap into a variety of digital tools and resources outside of school to pursue additional learning opportunities. For examples, 23 percent of STEM Academy students, 18 percent of student in computer programming clubs and 26 percent of students on school tech support teams took a self-paced tutorial or online class outside of school, compared with just 11 percent of other students.Reflecting a long-standing trend, this year’s data results reconfirm that a gender bias exists in STEM interest. The survey shows middle school girls 38 percent less likely and high school girls 32 percent less likely than their male peers to say they are very interested in a STEM career. As noted here and elsewhere, girls’ interest in STEM drops as they get older. To lessen that declining level of interest, it appears that the sweet spot for engaging and nurturing girls’ interest in computer programming as a gateway to sustained STEM interest may be in elementary school (where 64 percent of girls in grades 3-5 were interested in programming and coding), a place where few such programs exist today.Fifth Digital Learning EnvironmentBeyond the four digital learning initiatives explored in this report, today’s students are creating their own learning environment by tapping into digital tools, resources and content to self-direct their learning beyond the sponsorship or facilitation of their teachers to explore academic interests or passions for knowledge. "I appreciate and value the love of learning; rather than forced learning," reported a male high school student from Indiana in the survey. "So, outside of school, I very often teach myself about all sorts of things.  I am constantly learning arts and music, and advancing my skills in the two.  Also, I believe it’s important for people and students to WANT to learn when they leave school… Outside of school, I research and learn about things online like history, philosophy, religion, arts and sciences"Two big questions emerge from this year’s report:  Are we ready to support a new kind of educational ecosystem that acknowledges learning as a 24/7 enterprise, and what do we need to do today to enable and empower these kinds of student-centric digital learning experiences for all students?" asked Evans.About the Speak Up Research Project and Speak Up 2014Speak Up is an initiative of Project Tomorrow®, the leading global education nonprofit organization dedicated to the empowerment of student voices in education.  Each year, the Speak Up Research Project polls K-12 students, parents and educators about the role of technology for learning in and out of school.  This survey represents the largest collection of authentic, unfiltered stakeholder voices on digital learning.  Since fall 2003, almost 4 million K-12 students, parents, teachers, librarians, principals, technology leaders, district administrators and members of the community have shared their views and ideas through Speak Up.  K-12 educators, higher education faculty, business, and policy leaders report that they regularly use the Speak Up data to inform federal, state and local education programs.In fall 2014, Project Tomorrow surveyed 431,231 K-12 students, 35,337 parents, 41,805 teachers, 2,485 librarians, 680 district administrators, 3,207 school administrators, 442 technology leaders and 6,653 members of the community representing 8,216 public and private schools from 2,676 districts.  Schools from urban (30%), suburban (30 %), and rural (40 %) communities were represented.  Just over one-half of the schools (56%) that participated in Speak Up 2014 were Title I eligible schools (an indicator of student population poverty).  The Speak Up 2014 surveys were available online for input between October 6th and December 19th, 2014.The online survey is supported by many of our nation’s most innovative companies, foundations and nonprofit organizations including Qualcomm Wireless Reach, Rosetta Stone, Fuel Education, Blackboard, Schoolwires, DreamBox Learning, and BrainPOP.The report can be found online at: http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/SU14DigitalLearning24-7_StudentReport.html

Whether presenting to a class or audience, for most, interactivity is appreciated. One technique I enjoy is to ask participants to discuss an issue with colleagues. I generally leave the presentation platform to access the timer and countdown music, then come back to it.  But that can get annoying and sort of glitchy.  I thought there had to be a better way.There is.I want more »

The Wall Street Journal approached me to write an article sharing my views on whether technology belonged in the classroom. I was surprised anyone was still having this conversation, but like the technology-banning professor Clay Shirky, there are others, who don't see the power of technology beyond a device of consumption. They still view school time as a place for stand and deliver instruction where students need to be told how to learn and think critically and they can only do that with humans who are physically present. Of course, innovative educators have a different view of learning. We know that technology can be used as a tool to engage students with a global network experts and others who share their passions and interests. We understand that technology lets us go beyond handing work in and on to publishing it.  Please check out both sides of the article in The Wall Street Journal at this link and comment there and here with your views on the topic.I can't wait to discuss.Visit this link to share your thoughts and comment on the article.

I had the opportunity to speak to parent coordinators (those who are the liaison between families and schools) about great tools to stay connected to families this summer.  The focus was on free social media tools that parents can access via their cell phone. About half of the resources could be accessed on basic, text enabled phones which is great for communities where not all parents have consistent data plans or internet access.I shared examples of each of the following tools. The goal for participants was to come away with one tool they would use this summer to stay connected with families. Here are the resources I shared: ToolNumberURL1Cel.ly23559http://cel.ly2FacebookN/Ahttps://www.facebook.com3iPadio866-605-0336http://www.ipadio.com4Remind81010http://www.remind.com5Twitter Fast Follow40404https://twitter.com6UStreamN/Ahttp://www.ustream.tv7VimeoN/Ahttps://vimeo.com8YouTubeN/Ahttps://www.youtube.comHere is the presentation I delivered to show how each resource is used:Which of these resources have you used?  What has worked well? Have examples?  Share in the comments.

Today is the first day of the New York City Department of Education's "Bring Your Own Device" Institute.  Below is an interview featuring teachers from two participating schools that was conducted by Common Sense Graphite (originally posted here.)  By Erin Wilkey Oh On March 2, 2015, the New York City Department of Education lifted its school cell phone ban. Students are now allowed to bring cell phones and other personal electronic devices to school. Each school is tasked with creating its own cell phone and electronic device policy for students. This brings some challenges but also many exciting opportunities for those schools willing to explore the possibilities of a BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) program.I recently chatted via email with Jackie Patanio, technology coach at Public School 16 in Staten Island, N.Y., and Carolyn Semet, technology specialist at Intermediate School 230 in Jackson Heights, N.Y. I wanted to hear how things were going for them and the teachers they work with one month after the ban lifted.I want more »

PBS LearningMedia which provides digital learning experiences for students, recently conducted a study that goes beyond looking at the impact of technology on students ability to fill bubbles in old-fashioned tests. Instead, it showed the positive impact of educational media on student achievement.Key findings include:1)    High quality digital content positively impacted student content knowledge and critical thinking practices when integrated into existing curriculum. Across subject areas (English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies), student performance on content assessments showed significant improvement, increasing by eight percentage points.I want more »

A recent study from the Center for Economic Performance in London makes a disturbing recommendation to ban students from using their digital devices for learning. The study making the rounds in stories like this one (The Conversation), this one (ABC On Your Side), and this one (NY Mag) disregards what innovative educators know and research shows: Paper assessments are a poor indicator of student achievement. The study indicates that after schools banned mobile phones, test scores of high school students increased by 6.4% of a standard deviation, which they say means that it added the equivalent of five days to the school year. It goes on to say the results indicate the ban has a greater impact on special needs students and those eligible for free school meals.But before schools and districts start pulling devices from the students who need them most, it is important to take a look under the hood. I want more »

In case you missed it, ASCD's Ed Leadership magazine has an entire issue dedicated to "Teaching with Mobile Tech." My Teaching Gen Text co-author and I had the opportunity to contribute. Here is an excerpt:Teaching with Cell PhonesResearch suggests that students are eager to use their cell phones for learning. Are schools ready to catch up?Cell phones need not be a distraction in schools. Instead, they can be tools for sustaining engagement, supporting real-world cooperative learning, and empowering learning on the go.Students already know this. According to a Project Tomorrow survey (2013), 78 percent of middle school students say they use their cell phone to check grades; 69 percent credit it with helping them take class notes; 64 percent enjoy its aid in accessing online textbooks; 56 percent say it helps them write papers and do homework; and 47 percent say it helps them learn about school activities. If students are doing all these things on their own, just think how much more they can accomplish when educators incorporate cell phones into instruction.I want more »

Capturing student voice and engaging students in robust discussion and questioning is an important element of the Common Core Standards. It also increases teacher effectiveness and student achievement.    With traditional teaching methods, reaching students who are either, too shy or not motivated to participate, can be difficult. Darlynn Alfalla, the Tech Coordinator at Wagner Middle School provided advice to the "Questioning and Discussion Study Group" at her school. She helped an interested teacher, Robin Danky, incorporate a back channel called "Today’s Meet" into her lesson. It worked like a charm. Here is the video which outlines the results. Click this link to view video.I want more »

You've heard the stories.  Raunchy photos that result in people getting fired, kicked off the team or appearing less attractive potential mate. But what if you could make the images people find, great?  You can with a headshot.  This is something I discussed with librarians last week in a workshop about taking control of your digital image.  For the workshop, I also was able to secure a teacher with a passion and profession as a photographer to take headshots.Robert Lieberman gave back to his colleagues and we benefited. I have a lot of serious headshots. I asked him to take one of me being silly. Here it is:You can help do the same with your students and staff. Barter services with a talented teacher. Work with the photography club to take headshots of staff and/or classmates.  Use a service like Fiverr where you can get a headshot for just $5. I want more »

Kids these days. They're re-wired with a need for constant attention and engagement. They could never do what we did: Sit for hours locked in our room or under a tree with a single book.And that's okay.Don't knock em. Join em. Help em. Even learn from em.Nearly 40% of parents say their child does not spend enough time reading for fun but when you take social media into account you realize that is simply not true. Today's digital learners are not only reading like never before, they are writing too using social media. And that's a great thing. More and more research shows this is an effective  way to increase literacy among our youth.Here are some ways we can harness the power of social media to inspire reading (and writing!) and join families everywhere as part of the PTA Family Reading Challenge using social media.I want more »

At #ISTE2015 there are a lot of great Tweets and some you may want to share with others where you work.  Do you know how to do that?  If not, read this to learn how in a few easy steps.1) Find the Tweet2) Right click on the date3) Select "Copy link address"4) Select "Open in new tab" to see what it looks like to othersHere is what the link looks like when others open it:

I work in one richest cities in America, though you might not know it if you stepped into one of our schools at the end of the school year. That’s because we still haven’t figured out air conditioning for all our public school students. This recent NYTimes article  addresses the long-time issue which was also covered 16 years prior in this NYTimes article.  Back then Randi Weingarten who served as the president for the United Federation of Teachers said, "It's inhuman to subject kids and adults to schooling in this kind of heat. If this doesn't convince people that we need to air-condition schools, then I don't know what will.''Weingarten is right when it comes to summer school, and today, the education department says they are committed to ensuring all summer school classes have air conditioning. However, during the regular school year, when temps are on the rise, it might just be a good time for students to rise up and out of their seats and learn in a city with some of the most amazing resources available to humankind. As Elliot Washor suggests in his book, "Leaving to Learn" is a good thing. Get out of the school and into one of the most vibrant cities in the world.Explore. Live. Learn.  I want more »

One of the most exciting things I found at #ISTE2015 was a school bus transformed into a technology learning studio. The bus is operated by Estella who at age 79 is a self-identified "Gadget Gal." She loves technology and gadgets so much, she wanted to bring them to others in her community who might not have access to computers and the internet. So, she drew up her dream on a piece of paper and put the word out that she was looking for folks to help her bring this to life. She found volunteers, donors, and invested much of her own retirement funds on the project.That was eight years ago.  Below is a picture of Estella in her bus today. I want more »

Guest Post by Jacob Gutnicki All too often the benefits of close captioning in instruction are largely ignored. Many people believe that this only benefits students who are hard of hearing, deaf, or have a language deficit. This could not be further from the truth. Close captioning can also help students with various cognitive disabilities, English Language Learners, developing readers, as well as all learners. Furthermore, presenting information in multiple ways can help address the diverse needs of learners in the classroom and engage students on multiple levels. For example, close captioning can be used as a study aid, can expose students to public speaking, and can be used to teach students various writing genres. Additionally, the use of captioned or subtitled media can be a great tool for teachers looking to differentiate classroom instruction. This is because many struggling readers avoid text, and have minimal exposure to print. To this end, close captioning can provide students with additional exposure to print when they watch a video at home and at school.I want more »

After using the ASUS Chromebook Flip C100 I’m left with just two questions: 1) Why doesn’t every school provide one for every student? The Chromebook Flip would save schools money and provide a more effective learning tool then 20th century alternatives. No more paper, no more books. No more calculators, rulers, or lots of other costly items either when you have a Chromebook. It comes in at under $300 a year and lasts for three years.  This means for $100 a year you have outfitted your students with all the supply (singular intentional) they need. And, it’s not just a replacement for traditional supplies. Instead, it provides the functionality of traditional devices and it is also a powerful creation tool that enables them to collaborate and connect with the world.  I want more »

At our recent NYC Schools Technology Summit, many participants were using our hashtag #NYCSchoolsTech in Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites for the first time. Doing so enabled them to discover the following benefits of placing a simple "#" before a carefully chosen descriptor of "NYCSchoolsTech." Being in touch with the buzz that was being generated via the attendees.Enabling attendees to have conversation with a network of people who shared interests about what they were seeing and hearing.Providing participants with an additional level of excitement both at the actual event and in the online community.  Serving as a tool to capture and memorize the day right from those in attendance. Bringing a community together and strengthening relationships. You can see a recap of the day's Tweets as well as analytics below.2015 School Technology Summit - OverviewClick the link above to view.I want more »

In the "old" days, I used to love the creative things Web page creators came up with on April 1st. The items were always clever and easily understood to be spoofs.However, with the changes in technology moving so fast in the last few years, I found myself, while doing real work on April 1, trying to decide if the information I was viewing was true or not! It was kinda scary that I could not tell. Are the spoofs getting better? Or is technology changing so fast that I will believe anything?However, people still continue to amaze me with their creativity on April 1. Here are a few of my favorites from the day.(Link)(Link)(Link)(Link)Visit Kathy's Web pages: Kathy Schrock's Home Page Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators