This article describes how to use the app, Notability, to assist in classroom observation. Classroom teachers can easily adapt these directions for student observation. I recommend Notability at a cost of $1-$2 over any potentially costly commercial classroom observation system I’ve yet seen. Notability provides the most flexibility for meeting individual needs. If you’re looking …
Category: Educational Policy
What Good Teaching Looks Like: Digital Research
As per the Common Core State Standards students must incorporate digital research in their work. I interpret this to mean that students need a twenty-first century version of book sense. We used to teach students how to find books in a library, how to determine who the author and illustrator is, and where to find …
Technology in the Common Core: What Do Students Need to be Able to Do?
While there are no isolated technology standards in the Common Core State Standards, technology is embedded across the the grade levels. Many people are focused on students needing a device to take the assessment and not thinking about what students will need to be able to do with that device. The assessment …
Four Steps for Troubleshooting iOS Devices
There’s not too much you can do to fix a problem when your iPad or iPhone stops working…that’s the good news. There’s just a few things you can try and these usually work. Try each of these one at a time and see if one of them will fix your problem. 1. Update your apps. …
Understanding Technology in the Common Core Standards
I’m reviewing technology use in the Common Core Standards this morning and thought I would share a few resources I’ve found for better understanding them. Remember that I am based in California so the information related specifically to our state might not apply to you directly. What is the difference between California standards and the Common …
Caine’s Arcade and Google’s 80/20 Innovation Model in the Classroom
The 80/20 Theory As I understand it, Google allows employees to work on their own pet projects for 20% of time while having them work on company chosen projects for the other 80%. Allowing employees the chance to choose what they want to work on for some amount of their time increases motivation in the …
Is There a Place for “Drill and Kill” on the iPad?
Last week, I posted on Twitter when a highly engaging math app went on sale for 60% off. I didn’t oversell it by any means: It’s just drill and kill simple math facts with fancy graphics and music but it’s fun. I’m torn on whether to mention the name of the app here (I will …
Parent Better and Change the World in 2012
On a recent journey to Costa Rica, I had the opportunity to reflect on good parenting. Due to a brief layover, we had to switch planes mid-way and on each leg of the journey, we found ourselves sitting in front of children (yes, the same people we left our classrooms to get a …
New Book: What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies
I’m honored to have a chapter I authored on integrating digital video production in the classroom published in the just-released hardcover book, What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media edited by Scott McLeod and Chris Lehman. The other chapters are written by several of the educational technologists whom I’ve come to …
Technology in Schools is a Waste, Or Is It?
The New York Times featured an editorial calling into question the efficacy of bringing computers into schools in light of increasing budget cuts and flatlining test scores in the Kyrene School District. (Sorry for my delayed reaction. The beginning of the school year’s a lot of work!) Many of my edtech friends were up in …