Welcome to the second in a series of PBL Mania Posts. For the next few weeks I am celebrating Project Based Learning by hosting a webinar at Edtech Leaders Online and giving a PBL session at the NICE Conference in Chicago. In this post I will introduce you to some outstanding collaboration tools found on the web that can be used in the PBL classroom.  Before reading  please take a moment to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech Blog by email or RSS and also give me a follow on Twitter at mjgormans.  You will not want to miss this series or future posts involving STEM, Flipping the Classroom, Technology Integration, Common Core, and 21st Century Skills,  So Sign Up Now! As always… thanks and have a great week.  - Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)

First Some Notes For PD This Week

1. STEM educators may wish to join Hall Davidson from Discovery Education in a webinar entitled Making Mobile Media Meaningful in (and Beyond!) Your STEM Classroom on Feb 1, 2012 at 7 PM EST. Click here to register.

2. Join a distinguished group at Future We Create on Thursday, Feb 2, 2012 at 7 PM EST.  Explore how improvements in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education can generate greater workforce readiness in the United States. Beginning with a video presentation, and followed by an online chat, The Future of Science Education: STEM and Workforce Readiness will examine both the broad set of issues facing STEM education and hone in on project-based learning models. Here is a Quick Preview.

10 Sites Supporting Digital Classroom Collaboration in PBL

This PBL Mania post will explore some of those collaborative Web 2.0 tools that can enhance the PBL experience. Allowing students to network while immersed in PBL is so important. This could include communication and collaboration student to student, student to teacher, and student to expert. Below you will find a small collection of tools that might just help make collaboration even more amazing through the use of the online environment. Whenever using any online tool make sure students are practicing good digital citizenship and responsibility. Also be sure you are aware of your school’s AUP and each site’s user policy. Now let’s take a look at some of these tools.

Titan Pad – Great way for quick collaboration and sharing a document. No email or sign in needed. You will soon see that TitanPad is really a simplistic Google Doc… without the fuss!  All that is needed to use TitanPad is a visit and then press of a button called Create Public Pad. Learn more from a prior post that also lists ways to use in class.

Wall Wisher – Like collaborating with virtual post-it notes on a virtual wall. It really has lots of uses. There are so many ways to incorporate Wall Wisher in the classroom. Make sure you take a look.

Corkboardme – A program a lot like wall wisher that can be used to support a group’s collaborative activities. A premium version does allow for some privacy features.

Google Docs – Not much needs to be said. Google Docs is probably the king of online collaboration. This link brings you to the free school version. What an amazing way to facilitate live and real time digital collaboration.

Microsoft Live – Yes, Microsoft also has its online collaboration tools. This is also the school link.

Today’s Meet - Great way to run a back channel in the classroom. You will discover countless ways to use this in the classroom and engage learning.  TodaysMeet gives you and your students a somewhat isolated room where you can see only what you need to see.  Plus, your audience doesn’t need to learn any new tools like hash tags, logins, nor do they need to create accounts. Learn the ten ways that I show to use in your classroom.

Will You Type With Me - Same opportunities as Titan Pad with some added features. These include the ability to import additional files along with Word. These additional files include PDF and HTML. Also allows for output to these same files along with Open Doc, Plain Text, and even Wordle. To be useful with Wordle one should put a space after any one word entries and the last word of any entry. Also has a timeline revision function along with the ability to create QR Code Read Only pages.

Linoit – Discover a digital online tool that can serve educators and students in multiple ways. Imagine an electronic classroom display board. One that could leave the classroom and be visible on any computer screen anywhere. Now, dream about the ability to create it in minutes using multi-color post it notes, pictures, drawings, web links, and even videos. Better yet… kids can contribute by being given a URL… no login needed! Best of all it is fast, easy to use, and dependable. Why not click here to discover 50 ways I have included for use in the classroom?

Skype in Education – I am sure you can find many ways to incorporate Skype in the classroom.  The ability to work together collaboratively is a natural part of Skype. Imagine being able to bring in experts from across the city, state, nation, and world. In fact… did you know there is a Skype in education page? Make sure you check it out for your PBL activity. Read more about Skype in Education. While you are at it you may want to check this post that describes fifty ways to use Skype in the classroom.

Quick Screen Share – It is sometimes helpful to share a screen. Here is a great site from the people at Screencast-O-Matic, one of my favorite screen capture tools. Take a look at this video describing the process. Quick Screen Share  is the simplest way to share screens with anybody:

• No registration required and completely free.
• Nothing to install for sharer or sharee (assuming you have Java).
• Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
• Even lets you remotely control mouse and keyboard!

Thanks for joining me and for learning about this 21^st century learning tool. Join me in future weeks as together we continue this series on PBL Mania. After that, discover more posts devoted to 21st century education including such topics as Flipped Classrooms, Project Based Learning, Assessing 21st century skills, technology integration, web resources, and digital literacy.  I enjoy learning from all of you. Also, remember to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech  Blog by RSS or email and follow me on twitter at mjgormans. I also appreciate your sharing of this post and any retweets. I  hope you enjoyed this exploration of digital classroom possibilities in the land of PBL on the web. Have a great week! – Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)

Welcome to this first in a series of PBL Mania Posts. For the next few weeks I am celebrating Project Based Learning by hosting a webinar at Edtech Leaders Online, and by presenting a PBL session at the NICE Conference in Chicago. In this post I will introduce you to some awesome places on the web containing some of the very best PBL resources.  Before reading,  please take a moment to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech Blog by email or RSS and also give me a follow on Twitter at mjgormans.  You will not want to miss this series or future posts involving STEM, Flipping the Classroom, Technology Integration, Common Core, and 21st Century Skills,  So Sign Up Now! As always… thanks and have a great week.  - Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)

Welcome to the land of PBL knowledge. I searched the internet for some of the very finest links leading you to some of the best resources regarding PBL. I start our journey with what I consider  the mother lode of PBL resources at the BUCK Institute (BIE). After all…BIE is a world leader in PBL.

BIE – BUCK Institute

BIE – Also known as the BUCK Institute for Learning. Check out this site for activities, videos, handouts, and research. BIE is the mother lode of PBL and its site is one of the best. You can also contact BIE for professional development needs. Here are some highlights to explore inside this site.

BIE Videos – What Is PBL Video – A great collection of videos that demonstrate PBL and its best practices. PBL Example Projects – Are you looking for some project ideas… watch these videos to learn even more.  How to do PBL – Perhaps you are looking for various ways to work PBL into your class, subject, school, or district. Great information is found here.

BIE Tools – PBL Project Search – Here you will find a collection of 450 proven lesson plans to set any PBL desire into action. Look at the database found on the right hand side of the page.

BIE PBL Research Library  – Here you will find a wonderful collection of research summaries, full papers, and presentation materials.  These provide evidence for PBL effectiveness and provide knowledge of effective PBL practices.

BIE PBL Do IT Your-Self Kit – BIE has developed this Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Tutorial based on the PBL Toolkit books and highlights from the popular PBL 101 Workshop. The kit provides easy to read and watch, to-the-point advice about designing your project, along with some tools to help you do it well.

BIE FreeBies – What a wonderful collection of documents perfect for PBL. Included are over 20 resource document to make your PBL life just a little easier.

BIE Electronic Project Planner – This is an awesome place for educators to electronically create their own PBL lessons using a unique digital form. Not only can teachers create, but can also store in the BIE cloud.

West Virginia Teach 21 PBL

West Virginia Department of Education Teach 21 – The Project-Based Learning designs on this website were created by West Virginia teachers who worked with the WVDE Office of Instruction through participation in the Teacher Leadership Institute, the Secondary PBL project, content-specific professional development in mathematics, and the Model Schools and Classrooms project. As they continue to work with teachers across the state , West Virginia DOE will continue to post new PBL designs and tools to this site.

West Virginia PBL Project Data Base – This is a wonderful site where teachers can search through the subjects of reading, language arts, math, science, social studies, dance, visual arts, theater, and music. You can select from grade two all the way through grade twelve. These are PBL projects made by teachers for teachers!

West Virginia PBL Tools – A great set of management tools that are used in the Project Based Learning plans on Teach 21.  You will find rubrics, checklists, task management charts, learning logs and other documents that will help your PBL planning and delivery.  Most of the documents were created by West Virginia teachers and used in the PBL activities on Teach 21.  Other documents were created and published on the Novel Approach PBL website, which is no longer on the internet.  WV was given permission by the creator of the site to continue using these PBL documents.

Learning Reviews

Learning Reviews – This website claims to connect kids to learning on the web. It really connects kids to awesome, engaging, rigorous, and relevant projects. It points to numerous websites on the internet that house some great PBL possibilities. Be sure to check out all of the subjects and grade levels.

Here are more than 30 websites with free PBL examples, guidance, rubrics, and templates.  To see project-based learning lessons sorted by subject go to:

• PBL Language Arts Projects by grade level
• PBL Science Lesson Ideas by topic
• PBL Math Project Ideas by topic
• PBL Social Studies Project Ideas by grade level

Edutopia

Edutopia – A premier site for “what works on education”. A must visit for anyone considering transformation and real child-centered learning. Edutopia is wonderful resource of outstanding articles, research, video, and activities. The link provided takes you to the Project Based Learning Site of Edutopia. Let’s spend a moment and take a closer look. First the main PBL page has several must see videos that help explain the process.

Edutopia.org’s Project-Based Learning Professional Development Guide is divided into two parts. Part One is a guided process, designed to give participants a brief introduction to project-based learning (PBL), and answers the questions “Why is PBL important?”, “What is PBL about?”, and“How does PBL work?”  Part Two contains readings and experimental PBL.  These activities are outlined in the Workshop Activities section. You will also find links to examples from the Edutopia.org video library of PBL in action at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The Resources for PBL page includes a PowerPoint presentation (including presenter notes).  You will also find recommended websites, books, and additional videos to learn more about PBL in this section

The Rest

PBL Online – Another PBL site that works as a cooperative effort of BIE, Boise State University, and Edutopia.

4teachers – Home of  age-appropriate, customizable project checklists for written reports, multimedia projects, oral presentations, and science projects.

Intel – While Intel is a large company… this link points to a division that focuses on PBL. Intel is worth a visit for some great ideas and resources.

New Tech Network – New Tech is an outstanding group of high schools that are dedicated to PBL in the curriculum.

High Tech High School - High Tech is another high school network growing across the United States using PBL as a model for reform.

Global Schoolhouse - Whether you’re just starting out, or ready for advanced levels — this tutorial will help you to implement collaborative, project-based learning on the Internet.

Project Foundry – Any school investigating PBL must take a look. It is the last of my Land Of PBL only because it does carry a cost. Project Foundry is an online learning management and student portfolio system that allows innovative educators to scale authentic, integrated, individualized learning. It really works well in a connected online environment. You will find that this fee-based system includes integration with online tools such as Google Apps and Moodle.

Thanks for joining me and for learning about this 21^st century learning tool. Join me in future weeks as together we continue this series on PBL Mania. After that, discover more posts devoted to 21st century education including such topics as Flipped Classrooms, Project Based Learning, Assessing 21st century skills, technology integration, web resources, and digital literacy.  I enjoy learning from all of you. Also, remember to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech  Blog by RSS or email and follow me on twitter at mjgormans. I also appreciate your sharing of this post and any retweets and enjoy your journey through  the land of PBL on the web. Have a great week! – Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)

Welcome to another post which is the start to a series I know you will enjoy. On Wednesday, January 25 I will be presenting a webinar on Integrating PBL and Technology for Ed Tech Leaders On-line. It will be a must see webinar for anyone interested in PBL. I will also be presenting this topic in Chicago at the NICE Conference on January 28 and will soon be facilitating an ISTE online PBL course incorporating the NET-S standards.  I have met many of you in PBL trainings I have conducted for the BUCK Institute (BIE). In order to celebrate, I have a fantastic series of articles that will be coming your way in the next two weeks here at 21centuryedtech. In this post I will let you know what is coming up and also introduce you to an awesome free electronic PBL planning tool and PBL professional learning community from the people at BUCK (An outstanding PBL institution).   Before reading and watching, please take a moment to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech Blog by email or RSS and also give me a follow on Twitter at mjgormans.  You will not want to miss this series.  Sign Up Now! As always… thanks and have a great week.  - Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)

Below, you will find some amazing tools and some great opportunities. As always, most are free. If you wish to learn more about any of these please do not hesitate to comment, or email me at mjgormans@gmail. com.  Now… let’s take a look!

The BUCK Institute (BIE) presents the On-line PBL Project Planner

BIE Electronic Online PBL Planning Site - The BUCK Institute has created an awesome place to plan your PBL Unit. All you need to do is sign up for a  free account and begin putting down your ideas for a Project Based Learning Activity. Don’t have time to finish in one sitting… no problem. It will  keep what you have entered in your very own file cabinet. You will be able to return using any computer from any place that has internet access. You can also keep all of your projects in the “My Project” file cabinet. They will stay there for you to use, print, share, and even edit as you revise your project from year to year. Make sure you check out the “Share” button. Here you will find a link to either copy and send to a friend, or just enter an email address and BIE Project Planner will send it. Those collaborators will have to have a free BIE account. No problem, because that will be an option when they click your link. Not sure what all of this stuff means on the form? Then check out the BIE Do It Yourself Kit.

EdTech Leaders Online Presents:

Free PBL Webinar: Connecting Technology and PBL – by Michael Gorman

Date: Wednesday, January 25
Time: 4:00-5:00 PM ET
Presenter: Michael Gorman, One to One Laptop PD Initiative Coordinator in Southwest Allen County Schools in Fort Wayne, IN… 21centuryedtech… BIE National Faculty… Discovery STEM Academy Facilitator… November Learning… ISTE SIGOL Vice-President… Tech & Learning Magazine Adviser… ICE Indiana Board

Webinar Link Info – Please join me for this special free webinar. It will be a fast paced exploration of Project Based Learning. I will cover the essentials of PBL, explain how technology can supercharge your PBL efforts, and introduce you to a wealth of PBL online resources. Particular emphasis will be made on how to integrate technology and online tools in your PBL classroom. Get ready for an energized tour through a gold mine of resources!

Click here to get more webinar information and how to join me – Thanks! Mike

BIE Creates a PBL  Community Of Close To 3000 PBL Enthusiasts – Join Now! 

Link to BIE on Edmodo – It really is time you joined this amazing community. All you need to do is click this link, sign up for a free Edmodo account, and join the conversation. The BUCK Institute (BIE) extends it outreach  of improving 21st Century teaching & learning by creating & disseminating products, practices & knowledge for effective Project Based Learning in the Edmodo Learning Community. By jumping in you will be able to share, learn from, collaborate, and network with 3000 other like minded educators. Have a question about PBL? There are knowledgeable people ready to help you out including BIE staff and national faculty. Perhaps you want to join a PBL conversation on Twitter. You will learn  at the Edmodo BIE site how to join a weekly hour-long conversation on Twitter, 6 p.m. PST, 9 p.m. EST (every Tuesday), by following the hashtag #pblchat. The link to a transcript is always shared on Edmodo!

21centuryedtech Presents: PBL and Technology Series

For the next two weeks I will be providing some posts that will explore a gold mine of resources facilitating the PBL process and connecting it to technology. In fact, the resources I will share can also be used in non-PBL classrooms that still want to practice the facilitation of 21st Century Skills.  In these posts you will explore:

PBL Post 1: A Land Of PBL Knowledge on the Web – The links  will take you on a journey through PBL Land throughout the vast internet. It starts with what I always refer to as the mother lode at the BUCK Institute (BIE). After all…BIE is a world leader in PBL. With that as a starting point, we’ll continue to explore some additional sites!

PBL Post 2: Web 2.0 Tools That Make the School Walls Transparent Enriching PBL – Allowing students to collaborate while immersed in PBL is so important. This could include communication and collaboration that is student to student, student to teacher, and student to expert. In this post you will find a  collection of tools that might just help make collaboration even more amazing through the use of the online environment. You will love these tools if you are excited about encouraging student communication and collaboration.

PBL Post 3: Online Resources That Can Build PBL Communities – Project Based Learning is collaborative and community based. Perhaps that community is a student’s group, class, school, or better yet… world. In this post I will take a moment to examine some sites that focus on home bases for a PBL group’s virtual community online. You will find other websites that instead connect  PBL learners to other communities across the school, city, state, nation, or world. These communities will grab your attention for PBL practice… or just one engaging lesson!

PBL Post 4: Online Gems That Can Be Used As Resources In PBL – The power of project based learning and online technology allows teachers to provide multimedia that can be used individually, in groups, and even at home. This media can be used to flip the classroom allowing  students to participate and formulate their own inquiry through post related collaboration and discussion. By the way… these gems will also facilitate learning in any 21st century classroom.

PBL Post 5: Resources to Collect Student Voice and Choice in PBL – There are various platforms online that use multiple devices to allow for student opinion, reflection, and feedback. It is this concept that will put students at the center of PBL. You will be amazed at some of these tools and will want to incorporate them whether you practice PBL, are Flipping the classroom, or just want some awesome technology integration.

Short Notes with Links

ISTE To Present PBL Online Course – Check out this link. Perhaps you would like to join me as I facilitate this six week ISTE online learning experience. It will include an introduction to the Project Based Learning Experience while connecting technology and the NET-S Standards.

PBL World – I heard through the grapevine  that the BUCK Institute (BIE) will be hosting the very first PBL World in Napa, California this summer. That same grapevine (lots of those in Napa Valley) seemed to indicate the dates would be June 18 – 22. Four outstanding keynotes and lots of PBL… what an awesome warm up for ISTE! Watch that PBL World Link as more information drips through the grapevine. I hope to see you there!

Fliplab – As you might know, I recently published an article entitled “Flipping The Classroom?… 12 Resources To Keep You On Your Feet” both here and at Tech & Learning Magazine. Feel free to click and read. I wanted to thank all of you for your comments and tweets! It reached thousands of people! In fact through this I learned of Fliplab through correspondence with fellow technology enthusiast Jac de Haan  at Technology With Intention. Wow… looks like an awesome opportunity. By the way, thank you to Technology With Intention for the nice feature on yours truly! Take a look and be sure to see all of the other technology integration educators featured. I am honored to be part of the group.

Siemens STEM Academy – Be on the lookout for some of my findings and writings landing at this outstanding site devoted to STEM education. I will let you know when those posts might begin… but in the meantime, give the site a visit! Some awesome resources! By the way, there are some free summer STEM PD activities offered by Siemens and Discovery Education. Applicants who receive these awesome grants not only are in for a week or two of exciting in-service, but have all meals, lodging, and travel expenses paid! Check out this application which is due February 9! I just might be facilitating one of the workshops in Washington, D.C. this summer… so be sure to check it out!

NICE Conference – If you are in the Chicago area (Jan 28)  and would like some inexpensive Saturday Morning PD… then stop by the NICE Conference (Northern Illinois Computer Educators). It is held at Adlai Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois! It will put you out five dollars but will give you a chance to hear Steve Dembo keynote followed by your pick of three 50 minutes sessions. Choosing could be difficult since there are 28 sessions being offered. I will be offering my Storybook Adventures In The Land Of PBL and From Jukebox To iPod… Transforming Yesterday’s Lessons For Today’s 21st Century Learners.  The morning starts at 8:00 AM and you pay at the door (Performing Arts Center Lobby). It concludes from 1:00-1:30 with an awesome raffle (lots of wonderful prizes). Check this link out for more information.

Thanks for joining me on this exciting 21^st century post. Join me in future weeks as together we continue to explore several more posts devoted to PBL! Remember that even if you do not practice PBL… you will still discover some awesome tools and links. After that series, stay tuned for more 21st century education including such topics as Flipped Classrooms, Assessing 21st century skills, STEM, technology integration, web resources, and digital literacy.  I enjoy learning from all of you. Also, remember to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech  Blog by RSS or email and follow me on twitter at mjgormans. I also appreciate your sharing of this post and any retweets. Keep up the amazing work,  have a great week, and hope to see you at the free webinar, in Napa, in Washington, or just on the web! Have a great week and please come back soon – Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)

Welcome to the future and another great 21st century educational resource. In fact, this might be just the tool you have been looking for if you wish to provide students a safe place to engage, collaborate, and communicate on the internet. In this post you will discover a place that allows students to use those important Web 2.0 type tools while their actions are monitored. Be sure to check out the videos and documents I have supplied to help you learn even more. Before reading and watching, please take a moment to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech Blog by email or RSS and also give me a follow on Twitter at mjgormans.  I promise you will find some great information coming your way in 2012…So Sign Up Now! As always… thanks and have a great week.  - Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)

Special Announcement: Join me  at EdTech Leaders OnLine for a free webinar entitled Online Adventures on The Project Based Learning Highway. Connecting Technology with PBL.

Strap your seatbelt and join me for a fast paced exploration of Project Based Learning. Discover essentials of PBL and see how technology can supercharge your PBL efforts. Pre-registration is not required.  If you wish to attend just go to http://econference.edc.org/ before the starting time  below. Once you are in just type your name in the field in the upper right corner, and click “Log in as a Participant.” See you there!

Date: Wednesday, January 25
Time: 4:00-5:00 PM ET

Safe Student Collaboration and Communication: An Educational Community with Filtering, Monitoring, Engagement (Please take a moment to Retweet… Thanks!)

Have you been searching for a safe place that allows students to collaborate and communicate over classroom topics while still allowing administration the opportunity to monitor student activity? How about a spot that allows students to upload, download, store, and even submit assignments for feedback and grading. Does providing a virtual room that facilitates  student discussion of school related curriculum using you tube video, websites, documents, and a rich library of resources compel you to keep reading? Better yet, students collaboratively writing a document though the sharing of that document with an entire group might be something that would fit into your 21st century classroom.  Of course all of these features  allowing facilitation of these great learning opportunity inside a closed community would interest any teacher… wouldn’t it? How about opening up parts of this closed community to parents, other classrooms, experts, or the entire web whenever you as the teacher wish?  Would you like to give your students  the ability to blog, write a wiki, and maintain a learning wall? Did I mention having a portal for entire course content complete with SMS and email feeds to make announcements,  a resource area for all of the course content, a calendar that stores all the important course dates, and that merges with a student owned calendar containing all of their courses? Most important… did I mention this was free? Oh… I almost forgot something better than free!  How about a  place that has filtering, monitoring, and reporting of student activity as a built-in feature? Introducing My Big Campus, a learning community that is free, filtered, monitored, and truly student centered. Yes, it really does exist! It is brought to you by the people at Lightspeed Systems… a school web filtering company that is known for taking student web safety… seriously.

As I do in all of my posts, let’s take a look at some features and then I will cover how you can be part of the My Big Campus Community. First… how about an overview? I know once you view this informational video about My Big Campus you will want to continue to explore and consider ways to implement it in your school.  My Big Campus really has a social networking (Facebook) type look with the needs of education and the classroom under the hood. Students and teachers can Stay Updated on Latest Activity  using  activity feeds and notifications. Teachers always know what’s going on, thanks to instant notification when group members write on a wall, share an announcement, post a discussion, and so much more.  Teachers can also Create, Assign, and Grade Assignments and teachers and students can easily manage their class assignments and tasks. The students know immediately what they need to work on using a variety of devices and feeds, and teachers can see who has yet to complete a task. Teachers and students can easily Collaborate with Peers. In fact, collaboration is a key part of this unique student-centered community. My Big Campus makes it easy to collaborate with peers using features like real-time chat, messaging, group discussions, wallposts, and much more. Finally, this community allows a safe avenue to allow student messaging, wikis, and blogs. Most recently, My Big Campus has even incorporated the feature of shared documents.  Both teachers and students can Access Files and Resources It is easy to upload, access, and share files on My Big Campus. Students will no longer need flash drives and can get to their work anytime and anywhere. Tens of thousands of educationally-relevant YouTube videos, documents, blogs, websites and other resources that may have been  blocked can now be accessed through a resource library. If the video or web site is not already there… then the teacher can add it. Possibly the best feature for educators is the ability to Manage and Monitor Content. My Big Campus enables teachers and administrators to easily monitor and control school content and users’ activity, messages, and file uploads. My Big Campus can generate reports of all activity, possible suspicious activity, and even activity that has been deleted! This can go a long way towards helping today’s digital natives understand digital citizenship. Teachers and administrators decide what access students will have, and have the ability to turn off any or all activity with the push of a button. Learn more about resources and filtering at this video designed to help educators better understand the power behind My Big Campus and its ability to facilitate on-line learning. The screen capture and description below below will give you a better idea of some of the features.

In My Big Campus all users have the ability to check on the Activity of the groups they belong to and the individuals they follow. This area is a great collaborative tool and can also be turned on and off for specific users and groups. Edutalk is a twitter like feature that is available to teachers. It allows educators to network with other professionals in their building, district, and beyond. There is even the ability to integrate it with a Twitter account. Conversations acts like email and can be tailored to meet classroom needs. Conversations can be kept within the school or district campus and it may be set up for  teacher to teacher, student to teacher, teacher to student, or could allow students to contact both teachers and students. The portion of My Big Campus dedicated to School Work allows teachers to  create, store, and assign classwork. There is even the ability to grade assignments and facilitate a variety of quizzes. Your Stuff is like a locker or file cabinet where teachers and students can upload, store resources, and download from any place at any time using almost any device. The newest addition, MBC Documents, allows teachers and students to collaboratively work together on shared documents. MBC Documents gives all users the features of a word processor, with storage in the “cloud.” Teachers and students are able to create and edit documents anywhere, without having to upload files or use thumb drives. And, because the documents are part of My Big Campus, they are scanned automatically for profanity and other suspicious activity. MBC Documents are fully shareable. You can attach them to assignments, conversations, wall posts, and group discussions. The Calendar feature allows all users to create calendars and have those calendars populated by groups/classes they belong to. Teacher assignments automatically go to the calendars of the subscribers to their groups, classes, or extra-curriculars. There is also an area that can be use for teachers and students to Blog and set up their own Profile.

Teachers can also set up Groups to manage their classes, extra-curricular activities, and projects. The graphic below provides a quick look… followed by an explanation of how Groups are used in My Big Campus.

As you can see above, a group can contain a Home Page that might provide a project overview, a class syllabus, or a extracurricular statement. There is an area for Announcements that can be pushed out to group members’ individual calendars. My favorite, Discussions, is a great area to allow students to discuss and reflect with each other. This area can include videos, web pages, and readings to facilitate learning both during and after school hours. The Chat area can be turned on and off at teacher discretion, but could provide a unique opportunity for meeting and collaboration. Perhaps one of the most powerful areas is Pages. Subpages can even be created off of the main page and can be assigned to groups and students to encourage a group project, web site, wiki, or blog. In the Resources area teachers can place items from their main library or the main library of My Big Campus. These resources can be any type of file, web site, or multimedia. There is also a group Calendar and a complete listing of all Members of the group.

I really could go on and on. My suggestion is for you to take a closer look. You will discover that not only are there great resources, such as access to the entire video collection  of the Khan Academy, but also an excellent class management system based on safe and monitored student collaboration and communication. You will discover that there are two types of free accounts available to educators. The standalone version (Freemium) of My Big Campus is perfect for single teachers, project-based learning activities, professional networks, or group projects.The integrated version of My Big Campus is a district-wide solution that provides access to the Educational Resource Library content without risk of over-blocking, as well as cross-district sharing and collaboration, and additional management and reporting features. The integrated version is available to all of Lightspeed’s filter customers. Freemium users do not have to be  Lightspeed customers and can do almost everything regular users can do (filtering and reports may be more limited). For a matrix comparing the two versions of My Big Campus, please visit http://www.mybigcampus.com/get-started. Now, take a moment and spend a little time on My Big Campus.

Some Great Resource Videos and Documents to Become Acquainted with My Big Campus 

Video: Big Campus Overview - Lightspeed Systems CEO Joel Heinrichs discusses what My Big Campus is, and how it can be used.

Video: My Big Campus Integration with YouTube Videos - is a great resource for educators. Here’s how to share quality YouTube videos with your students, without the distraction of ads and comments.

Video: My Big Campus Reports on Student Activity - Learn about the amazing reports ability and  demonstrates to teachers how to review  users’ activity on My Big Campus.

Video: Report from ISTE on My Big Campus – Libby Lawrie shares her experience with My Big Campus and how her district is using it to flip their classrooms. She is also seeing students use My Big Campus for tutoring each other, global education, digital responsibility and much more!

Video: Students” Reflections on My Big Campus - Students from San Saba High School present the key functions of My Big Campus and share how they use it to communicate, collaborate and learn.

Video: Virtual Field Trips Using My Big Campus – Kim Herron, a 6th grade teacher at USD 448 in Kansas, shares the benefits of virtual field trips to places a class could never dream to go in real life.

Video: MBC Podcast – An excellent nine minute video  that covers the needs of today’s digital natives and how My Big Campus can help facilitate that need. Great for educator awareness and reflection.

PDF File: My Big Campus Manual – Gives you a chance to see all the things you can do with My Big Campus. Also great for learning how to use it.

PDF File: My Big Campus Teacher Tips – Two page handout highlighting what My Big Campus can do for teachers in the classroom.

PDF File: My Big Campus IT Administrator Tips – Two page handout giving IT administrators some great information on capabilities, set up, and best practices.

PDF File: My Big Campus Student Tips – Two page handout explaining to students the reason to use My Big Campus and how to get started.

PDF File: Network Solution for Safe On-line Learning – Outstanding document demonstrating how My Big Campus accomplishes a mission of a safe learning environment for students.

Thanks for joining me and for learning about this 21^st century learning tool. Join me in future weeks as together we continue to explore several more posts devoted to 21st century education including such topics as Flipped Classrooms, Project Based Learning, Assessing 21st century skills, technology integration, web resources, and digital literacy.  I enjoy learning from all of you. Also, remember to subscribe to this 21centuryedtech  Blog by RSS or email and follow me on twitter at mjgormans. I also appreciate your sharing of this post and any retweets. Keep up the amazing work,  have a great week, and hope to see you somewhere on My Big Campus! – Mike Gorman (21centuryedtech)

Happy 2012 and welcome to the future!   I wish all of you the very best as you enter a New Year! I hope you enjoy this timeless lesson… one that really does have a place in 21st century education. It is a reminder that teaching truly is an amazing art. Let’s all keep up the wonderful painting.  Please take a moment to subscribe by email or RSS and also give me a follow on Twitter at mjgormans.  I promise you will find some great information coming your way in 2012…So Sign Up Now!   – Mike Gorman

Take a moment to share and retweet this article. Your effort is appreciated… Please enjoy!

It was a normal first day back to school. The building was still quiet and still. I could sense there was an air of extreme excitement and anticipation in the air. I sat at my desk and pondered the reality of a new year wondering about the new faces I would greet.  I already knew that all too soon I would be waving good bye to another group I had come to know so well. It is amazing what the short period of a school year brings to both educators and students.  Suddenly awakened from what was either my deep reflection or possibly a type of relaxing nap that only the whisperings of being another year older can bring, a panicked voice was heard at my classroom door.

He was a brand new teacher dressed as one who just might enlighten the downtown business club, yet he stood with theglazed eyes of a student still waiting for that moment of enlightenment. I had seen it all before, perhaps even in the reflection of a distant mirror over thirty-four years ago. He was summoning me to his room, not that I regarded it as his… at least not yet. You see, I had great respect for the educator who had been a part of the four walls that this soon to be teacher was leading me to. As he led me through the doorway of his new headquarters for dissemination of information I couldn’t help but notice a peculiar feeling of past warmth that was missing. It was a indescribable void, covering a large aura which had been in place for nearly fifty years.

As he motioned for me to look at the archaic blackboard behind the new, still packaged, and not yet plugged in interactive whiteboard I couldn’t help but smile. There, still written with chalk that  had the smell of fresh dust, were the words “A Message from an Analog Native”.  Then I heard the young teacher’s voice asking how he might  get rid of the words. He pleaded that, after all, he saw no button to push to dissolve the print. I smiled and walked to the board and picked up the eraser. I cleverly planned to display to this obviously digital native, one of this school’s first such inductees, the magic of an eraser. I even had my strategy for providing a professional development moment on the use of chalk. After all, improper use of chalk can lead to an annoying screech that will send most students diving under their desks. As I held up the eraser I walked to the board and began to perform the ancient teacher ritual of erasing a black… not green,board. Amazingly, it did not work out the way I had planned. As I observed the pupils of this brand new teacher’e eyes grow large, I turned to the board and took a step back in awe. Not only were the words not disappearing… but new words were beginning to appear underneath. It was now quite obvious that we were both extremely engaged in the lesson that was about to begin. I have recorded for you the amazing script that came before my eyes that very day.

A Message from an (almost) Analog Native

Welcome to your new classroom. I am sure you are going to explain and teach in a way that I might never understand. You see, I come from a day of filmstrip projectors that beeped, ditto paper that left my fingers blue and the students enjoying the scent, bells that really did ring out a mechanical melody, 16 millimeter films that, if in color, amazed the kids. In fact, if these films were shown backwards it provided bonus entertainment. In recent years I have heard words that are so strange to me. These words include foreign terms such as twitter, blog, wiki, Skype, web 2.0, clickers, and interactive whiteboards. I have heard all this talk about 21^st century skills and I am not even sure if I can tell you what they are. So there you have it. I am not one of those digital natives, nor am I a digital immigrant! I may not even be an analog native or immigrant. So, even though I do not know all the new terms, I thought that I might give you a list of ten items I feel just might ensure success no matter what century it is.

1.  You come to school to serve your students. Put them at the center of their learning. Find great books, integrate fascinating projects, and include engaging resources.  As you do this, always remember that students must be at the center of their learning.
2.  As you teach you will come upon some amazing tools. My very first full sized erasable blackboard was wonderful and I was amazed by the pull down map. I remember the very first time I used colored chalk and our very first classroom set of encyclopedias. Imagine having almost all the knowledge of the world in your classroom. Please remember that tools are only as effective as those who use them. You will be introduced to amazing new tools. Make sure these tools become the servants and not the masters of your teaching.
3. Realize that every student is truly gifted. It may be that your job is to find that special gift and make the student aware of it. Each gift is different and will ultimately lead that student to an interest and vocation that they find great pleasure in while contributing to society. They may even come back some day and thank you for revealing that gift to them.
4. Learning does not just happen in the classroom. Open your students to the world by introducing them to experts, authors, cultures, and multiple disciplines. Teach them to become lifetime learners who will embrace learning beyond the classroom and beyond their school experience. It seems this world is ever changing and, in order to keep up with things, they may need to someday be their own teacher.
5. Allow your students the experience of searching for success. This involves allowing multiple attempts, occasional failure, and eventual triumph. Learning does not always need to be graded, but must always be guided. Remember, it is not always the destination, but in most instances… the journey. Allow your students those journeys with multiple opportunities and outcomes.
6. Encourage cooperation, teamwork, and healthy competition. Teach your students that the thoughts and contributions of many can be so much more powerful than just the contribution of one. Emphasize true discussion and listening, and allow for discourse. The ability to work, plan, and play together has been, and always will be, an important skill.
7. Promote thinking that is outside what many might consider the box. Allow your students to have their own ideas, play with possibilities, and invent what doesn’t exist. Not everything in life can come from your textbook. Remember, what we believe as facts today could change in twenty-five to fifty years. It seems that information probably doubles every hundred years. I suppose that might even speed up a bit as time goes on.
8. It seems that all of us learn best by doing. Allow your students to not just hear it or read about it. Provide them with real life experiences and allow then to do it. Guide them as they are doing so they are learning relevant content and gaining new skills. Give them some say in what they are doing.
9. Remember your humanness. Always have a sense of humor and be yourself. Remember that teaching is a people business. Enjoy the laughter, the stories, the victories, the accomplishment, and the small (but really big) moments that can only happen in a real live classroom. Some say that someday robots or some kind of two way wireless radio will take over education. I truly think this will never happen because teachers will always show that the human element is essential. A smile from a real person sure beats that of a  robot or a distant person on a wireless radio covered in distant sounds of static.
10. Always remember that you teach children… not subjects such as science, history, arithmetic, ciphering, citizenship, reading, English, and shop. You see, it is the teaching of children that convinced me to get into this amazing business… and it is the reason that most great teachers have a hard time giving up a classroom like this.

Please take good care of this classroom. It never was mine, only one that I was allowed not just to educate children in, but so much more. It was a classroom in which I was allowed to perpetuate a culture of learning for almost fifty years. You see, not all of these ideas were mine. I found them on an old slate lying in a back closet when I first entered this room. I was so happy I had a pencil in hand, because no faster had I made my copy than the words on the slate disappeared. I think I may have made a few changes. I know I will have a chance in my retirement to read about some of these new tools and even learn about these 21^st century skills. It will probably give me a chance think about what I might have done to make learning in my classroom even better. When I find out… I might even send you a message. Until then, please take care of this old classroom and, more importantly, take even more care with those children who will enter tomorrow and thereafter. I know you will perpetuate the culture of learning that has permeated these four walls for more years than even those I taught.

You know… there wasn’t much to say. I looked at the new kid who seemed even more ready to teach. His eyes appeared already a few years older. As we both stood there we saw the old blackboard magically erase and turn a clean dark shade of black. I picked up the eraser that I had dropped during this unusual encounter and handed it over to the new guy. He opened the closet door and threw it in. I heard a gentle thump as it landed on something that may have been a slate. Together, we both unpacked and plugged in his new interactive whiteboard. He carefully positioned it so he could still see a portion of that old blackboard from his desk. We both knew why. As I walked out of the room that day I couldn’t help but think about the history that just might occur in that old classroom in the next fifty years. But, I had plans to make and students to get ready for as I was incorporating many of those new 21^st century skills I had been reading about all summer. I was so excited about providing so many new opportunities for my students. After all, this is a new era for new techniques and strategies.

Thanks for joining me on this wonderful journey of 21^st century (and even before that) learning. Join me in future weeks as together we continue to explore several more posts devoted to the Flipped Classrooms, Project Based Learning, Assessing 21st century skills, technology integration, web resources, and digital literacy.  I enjoy learning from all of you. Also remember to subscribe to this blog by RSS or email and follow me on twitter at mjgormans. I also appreciate your sharing of this post and any retweets. Keep up the amazing work,  have a great week, and a enjoy this wonderful New Year. Welcome to the Future! – Mike Gorman

This posting is my third annual (2012) collection of fictitious educational headlines  we might like to see, headlines we might actually see, and headlines that might just be fun!  While I am not suggesting any of them will become a reality, it is always exciting to dream, imagine, and even have a little enjoyment! I also thank all those companies named in fun… for all the amazing things they do for education. I wish all of you the very best as you enter a New Year! Keep up the great work in our schools, you really are the best! Please take a moment to subscribe by email or RSS and also give me a follow on Twitter at mjgormans. Also, please take a moment to subscribe to this post by email or RSS. I promise you will find some great information coming your way in 2012…So Sign Up Now!  By the way, If you happen to think of a headline, please share with all of us! Have a wonderful New Year! – Mike Gorman

Take a moment to share and retweet this article. Your effort is appreciated… Please enjoy!

Race To The Top Is Renamed “Meet Us At The Top”…  Finally No State Is Left Behind! – While  racing to the top has its admirable qualities… it still leaves some states behind. National government gets wise and combines the best of two programs while dumping the worst. Still… have legislatures considered the entire world? Where exactly is the top?

Apple Invents Wireless Electricity Called iVolt… Adobe Charges It Will Not Work with Flash – Who ever thought that Apple was no longer an innovator? The solution has finally come for schools that only have one AC outlet in the classroom. Electricity sent through the wireless internet connection means no wires and no batteries. Adobe has stated that use of iVolt will cause its Flash product to  go into unFlash mode while General Motors has filed a trademark complaint.

Google Develops Method To Literally Store All the World’s Knowledge in the Real Clouds – Through the use of Apple’s new iVolt, Google has discovered a way to use clouds to store data. Google has stated that use of clouds will be free using the improved Chromebook. States and countries in the Sunbelt fear this could rain on their economy while Microsoft files an antitrust suit claiming that all clouds should be in clear view of everyone’s Windows.

A Day To Be Remembered … Both Political Parties Agree To Double the Education Budget – It was one of the coldest days recorded in Washington DC, while, over a cup of tea, both Republicans and Democrats signed this agreement as a new law.  The new bill came shortly after passage of another signing decreeing the acknowledgment of a recent discovery of a new species… pigs with wings. Both sides agreed that one more stakeholder can now “Meet Us At The Top”

The Textbook Makes One Last Stand… What Will You Do When the Lights Go Out? – A major paper based textbook manufacturer has put together a publicity campaign suggesting that learning will be difficult during a power outage if schools convert to a digital curriculum. While admitting that a digital curriculum is more up-to-date and engaging, the manufacturer stated, “During a recent power outage students at Transformationless High School were still able to read important information regarding the planet Pluto for an upcoming standardized test”. Apple issued a press release touting its iVolt!  

Introducing the US TEST … A Standardized Test That Is Seamless, Transparent, And Powerful – A unique standardized test has been revealed to educators. The US TEST (Unstandardized Test) could be the mechanism that allows all students to succeed.  The key to this remarkable instrument is to first throw out all standardized tests and then institute the US TEST. During testing time, students are allowed to learn, collaborate, communicate, develop critical thinking skills, and think creatively! Teachers and students assess in a formative manner. In order to be most effective, extend this test time to the rest of the school day. Since US TEST is free and open source, Congress could double the current money going to the nation’s classrooms. The motto for US TEST is proclaimed, “Meet Us At The Top”

New Task Force to Focus on Pre-21^st Century Skills While 22^nd Century Group Takes Note – While the Pre-21^st Century Task Force recognizes the importance of many of the 21^st century skills, they state there must be new emphasis on pre-21^st century skills. These are skills that seem to be disappearing and need new emphasis. They include, but are not limited to, respect, courtesy, civic virtue, focus, restraint, and moments to just stop and appreciate. They even suggest there could be virtue in turning off the technology and talking to a real person every once in a while. While the 21^st century group discussed implementing this in a virtual setting, the even newer 22^nd century group demanded that schools teach skills that have not yet been thought of.

New Student Response System (HBRS) Conceived… And Could Replace Clickers – While acknowledging that student response systems, more affectionately for simplicity’s sake known as “clickers”, have their place, another method could be equally as effective. Known as HBRS (Human Biological Response System), this ingenious method could vastly improve the classroom of tomorrow. Proponents’ indicate that its key ingredients  allow students and teachers to communicate, collaborate, and reflect both in person and using digital resources. In fact, both teachers and students can practice different styles of formative assessment possibly allowing both to understand progress, intervention, and needs. After all… what if the lights go out?

All States Agree On The First Common Core Standard… Implementation Should Be Fruitful – Some thought it couldn’t be done, but history was made when the very first Common Core Standard was agreed upon by state educators. It was decided that core standard 1.1 would state that all students realize that an apple contains a core that can be measured and that can be assessed. OK, I had to dig pretty deep in the bushel for that one! It was learned that Apple has decided to apply for a trademark for common core (will not be visible in Flash) and Microsoft has claimed an antitrust.

The Number One Education App Already Available In Every Classroom – The number one education App was selected by multitudes of students, and those who had ever been students. Unfortunately, this App is not available in the Droid Market Place or the Apple App Store. The App can only be found in classrooms across the country. It is of course… our teachers.  No amount of electricity, technology, internet, or ones and zeros could ever match the effectiveness that a real teacher brings to education. This article sends out big word of appreciation to all those dedicated and amazing educators across the world. Thank you!

I have included an eleventh headline below. It is one that I will make sure is posted every year!

World Wide Effort Placing Education  And Children As Top Priority Results In  Movement Toward “Peace On Earth - Not only does this effort result in world peace, but health, energy, environment, food, and poverty are also addressed!  No further editorial needed!

Thanks for joining in a posting that I hope brought a smile to your face. Together, as educators, we must continue to work together to bring to our students an education that is engaging, relevant, and intrinsic! Continue to visit and take a moment to comment. Please accept my invitation to subscribe by RSS or email! I promise some great posts in the year 2012. Take a moment to share this post with others through an email or retweet and also give me a follow on Twitter at mjgormans. Thank you for your kind words both at this blog and at my presentations and webinars! May the year 2012 be filled with both personal and professional growth and satisfaction!  Wishing You A Very Happy New Year – Mike Gorman

Did you know that Santa believes in Project Based Learning? It’s true… in fact I have worked quite hard at finding evidence that supports this conclusion. Recently I was reviewing an outstanding article written for Educational Leadership (September 2010) entitled 7 Essentials for Project Based Learning. You might wish learn more from this article written by John Mergendoller and John Larmer at BIE (BUCK Institute). After all BIE is the premiere organization promoting and providing professional development on PBL for the United States and internationally. Upon further reflection it occurred to me that not only does Santa believe in PBL, he practices many of its positive attributes at his workshop. By now you are thinking… what is this connection? Let me explain my reasoning by giving you an overview of the seven essential elements in PBL.  Yes, there is actually an eighth which I will also illustrate. Of course I will attempt to show you how I believe Santa has put these elements into his practice.  Before continuing I would appreciate having you take a moment to subscribe to this Blog by RSS or email and follow me at (mjgormans). Taking that moment insures that we can continue to network, something that is very magical to me. Also, please share this post with others and even provide a re-tweet.  May your holidays be filled with magic! – Mike Gorman (http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/)

It all started on a recent visit I had the pleasure of taking to the North Pole.  It was actually a once in a lifetime experience, one that I will always remember. While I promised Santa I would not divulge secrets I discovered, he did hand me a manuscript and gave me a wink. I could see the amazing sparkle in his eyes as he waited for me to discover a power he was already aware of. I looked at the cover of this torn and faded, yet delightful looking, old book.  I could tell it had been constantly used due to the lack of North Pole magical dust on its soon to be engaging pages.  I spent the next few hours looking through a wonderful collection of written journals. This manuscript was entitled “The Santa Projects”.  How did he know my yearning to learn more about projects?  I then remembered that, of course, I was sitting in front of Santa. He probably had quite a data base of everything I had ever dreamed of or desired from my very first teddy bear. Here was a compilation of all of the important projects ever done at this amazing place… at the top of the world. Here were the projects that Santa had brought to his entire staff in order to engage, motivate, educate, and provide means of collaboration and communication. The first project caught my eye. I couldn’t help but smile as I read each of Santa’s journal entries. Allow me to share one of his projects with you.

The Santa Projects – Project Name – Mission Possible…. The Big Delivery

Need To Know – (An outstanding project is based on a student need to know. It is this desire that promotes engagement and excitement in children. It provides the motivation for learning significant content.)  Santa Notes - It will be important to communicate with all of the elves and various staff my desire to travel the world in one night delivering toys to all of the good girls and boys. We will have a meeting, record everything in Santa Docs, based on what we will need to know to make this mission possible. As we answer these important questions I will mark them off our collaborative list. I anticipate a few questions such as: Given that the earth is rotating… how many hours do we really have?

The Driving Question – (The Driving Question is the key to any effective PBL project.  This question must be direct and open a student centric understanding of what is to be eventually accomplished and learned. While giving the students a sense of mission, it is proactive and open-ended.)  Santa Notes – After working with various teams we have decided that a good driving question could be as follows: How can we devise a plan to deliver presents to all the good children in the world in one night? I know this will be exciting for the elves and I am sure the reindeer will be clamoring to get their hoofs into it. I am certain our journey to finding this answer will not only raise more questions, but will also provide the rigor my staff thrives on.

Voice and Choice – (An effective project must allow for all students to have a voice and a choice. This might allow students to pick an area of study, or may give a selection of various final products to demonstrate learning. This voice and choice allows the project to have individual meaning and relevance to each student.) Santa Notes – I must allow all of the workers at the North Pole to participate in a meaningful way while holding them accountable to the Driving Question. Who knows what contribution each group and individual might be able to come up with. In fact, I have already heard that my engineers are drawing a picture of a sleigh. Not sure I know why, but maybe I will learn from them.

21st Century Skills – (Students must be allowed to use skills that are authentic and provide real world opportunities. Teachers must provide learning opportunities and facilitate important skills including collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. It is important to also asses these skills as part of PBL.) Santa Notes – I plan to utilize team building activities to help facilitate project success. At the North Pole we must realize that in order to pull off this miracle it will involve a collective wisdom from the entire crowd. We will use modern North Pole technology including Santa Docs, Twinkler, and Elfmodo to collaborate. In fact, I noticed the elves are already building a new system “The Magic Net”. It is supposed to connect the North Pole with the entire world of children’s desires. I am not sure why, but I am sure I will learn from them.

Inquiry and Innovation - A good PBL study will allow students to not just come up with answers… but also discover new and amazing questions. This will allow students to think outside the box as they remix, create, and innovate. It assures a final product that shows the learning that was acquired from the initial Driving Question.) Santa Notes – Everyone at the workshop is finding out that there is not an easy answer to our Driving Question. It seems we are getting more questions than answers right now. I have encouraged our staff to use Santapedia and NorthPoleOogle but they say it does not always give the answer… again more questions. I have told everyone to tinker… something they have experience with at the toy shop. They did come up with a new gift they called Tinkertoys which could be a hit. I had to get them back on track. Outside, I have noticed the reindeer jumping from the fir trees and one is even playing with a red light bulb. I know it seems very hectic… but I do feel we might be on to something.

Feedback and Revision – (Students must be allowed to obtain feedback through critiques from their teacher, peers, real world mentors, and themselves. Through this, students must learn to reflect and revise to create a better product as they travel a road of formative assessment.) Santa Notes – I am finding myself encouraging all my workers to reflect and critique themselves and others. This is can be more valuable than always using one of my NPARs (North Pole Assessment Rubrics). In fact, I saw the engineer and elves constantly critiquing each other on what they called OBETB (Operation Big Enough Toy Bag). Perhaps if I do a little check with one of my formative assessment rubrics I will find out what that is all about.

Publicly Present The Product – (Providing students with a public and authentic audience is crucial in the design of a good PBL learning unit. It brings meaning and provides motivation for a final product that represents the quality and rigor that should be expected. This audience can be face to face or could be virtual using the World Wide Web.)  Santa Notes – I am so excited for the workers here at the North Pole. Tomorrow night they will be presenting their plan for Mission Possible…. The Big Delivery to a live audience of the North Pole Geographic  Society, Magic Bag Engineers, Animal Aviator Experts, Portable Light Bulb Innovators, The Association of Sleigh Vehicle Workers, and NEXRAD.  It will all be available on Santa Vision. Having all of these experts in the audience will ensure that all involved will take great pride in their work while demonstrating what they have learned and have now made possible.  I am still puzzled as to why we have invited the Animal Aviator Experts and NEXRAD. Sound like a high flying idea!

And yes, there is an eighth essential element that is covered by BIE. It is quite instrumental to the world of PBL!

Significant Content – (A PBL final outcome should provide evidence that students learned the required content set forth by curricular standards. While the 21^st century skills are important… they should complement and be used as  tools for learning this content. The project is the process!) Santa Notes – Wow… while everyone has become better communicators, collaborators, and critical thinkers I see that the important concepts needed to make this project a success have become a reality. All of the workers, elves, and animals understand the important North Pole curricular concepts of magical engineering, animal aviation and linguistics, possibility planning, and bottomless bag technology. Most of all, they have discovered the wonderful skill of miracle manicuring. I really do believe in PBL!

As I handed this precious manuscript back to Santa,  I thanked him for confirming my belief in how powerful a project can be. Upon my return I continued to learn more about Project Based Learning and discovered the power it has for providing authentic and powerful learning experiences for students. This knowledge just might be the very best gift I ever received from Santa. I’m still smiling as I recall the other projects I read about in the wonderful book on my very special visit. Projects with names like the ones you find below.

1.  I Can Get Down the Chimney… How Do I Get Up?
2. The Big Blizzard… Can We Find a Way to Light the Path?
3. Conquering the 24 Hour Cookies and Milk Dilemma!
4. Reindeer… Keeping their Minds to the Ground!

I hope you enjoyed this very special message that Santa shared with me. Please take a moment to share this post with other educators across the world.  Please accept my present to you,  which is another year of postings, by subscribing by email or RSS and follow me on Twitter (mjgormans). You will also find a treasure of resources covering 21st century learning, STEM, PBL, and technology integration for the classroom. Again, take a moment to share this blog and even give it a re-tweet so that other educators can experience the magic of PBL. May you find the peace, joy, blessing, and magic of this very special season… and to all a good night! Mike Gorman (http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/)

Welcome to a very special post… one that I will make a tradition to post each holiday season. It was several Christmas Eves ago that I found this letter under my Christmas Tree! I made it a tradition to put it away, until just a few weeks before Christmas each year, with the idea of sharing it with you! Please take a moment to read this very special letter from Santa! He takes a moment to describe the magic that you as an educator make happen every day! While you are at it, I would appreciate that you take a moment to subscribe to this Blog by RSS or email and follow me at (mjgormans). Taking that moment insures that we can continue to network, something that is very magical to me. Also, please share this letter with others and even provide a re-tweet.  May your holidays be filled with magic! – Mike Gorman (http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/)

A Letter From Santa

Dear Teachers,

I have been meaning to write this letter for a long time! It is a letter that I feel is long overdue and with the elves getting all ready for my long ride, I finally found the time! I have been watching teachers for many years and I am amazed at the work they do. I have come to a conclusion that the teaching profession, like my own, must be filled with bits of  magic! Please let me provide ten statements of evidence for my belief.

1.  I travel the world one night of the year visiting all the boys and girls of the world. The teaching profession works with every boy and girl all year long. This equates to each teacher fulfilling educational needs for 30 – 200 children each and every school day. Seems like magic to me!

2. I deliver presents to all the boys and girls. From my Toy Repair Shop statistics I find many of these gifts are broken or no longer garner a child’s interest within months!  Yet teachers find inner gifts in every child. Teachers nurture these inner gifts  until they develop into true presents that will last a lifetime.  These kinds of gifts sure seem like magic to me!

3. I keep my naughty and nice list for every child. Some people believe this job is pretty amazing! Yet when I look at the teaching profession, teachers provide a constant evaluation of all their students! Their list covers all the aspects of developing and learning which they report to children’s parents and to the children themselves! This evaluation is based on a wide variety of observations, data, and student performance.  Teachers will then use this list to help improve each and every student! Wow, keeping track of every student’s ability and prescribing ways to be successful must really be magic!

4. I leave presents to students who are on the nice list and who believe in me. Teachers work with all children because they believe in every student. Teachers continue to do so, even when students stop believing in the educational system’s ability to help them achieve.  That type of persistence has got to be magic!

5. I have operated my workshop using the same technology for hundreds of years and it has worked for me. Then again, I work with children when they are asleep, delivering presents in my own way. Teachers work with children when they are awake and they have spent time learning how to engage children using googles, blogs, phlogs, glogs, prezis, and all these other words I really don’t know! Being able to teach, transform, and accommodate for this new digital generation must really be magic!

6. I have made it a practice to leave coal behind for children who do not make my good list! It seems every year the same children always get the coal. Teachers refuse to leave coal, in fact, they are working hard at leaving no child behind. To work towards a goal of leaving no child behind is a true act of magic!

7. I read the news and I am always so thankful to read all the nice articles about my work. It really does provide me with motivation to keep up my vocation. I read news articles about the education profession and it seems that most articles are unsupportive. Yet, teachers keep working hard at providing success for their students! These teachers must be operating on a little bit of magic!

8. I have thousands of elves, of course the reindeer, and the  community of the entire North Pole to assist me. Teachers work every day, many times by themselves, as they provide new opportunities for their students! Carrying that load alone must be much heavier than my bag of toys. It must really be magic!

9. I receive many a thank you and millions of pictures of happy faces as children open their presents each year. Teachers don’t always get the thank yous, or may never see the present get eventually opened. When they do, appreciation may come from decades later!  A thank you that appears after many years must be the result of pure magic!

10. I discovered a light in Rudolph brightens up a dark, foggy, or snowy night so that I can deliver joy to all the children across the world. Teachers provide the light that brightens our world in both the darkest night and brightest day! It is the light of learning and knowledge!  The ability to keep that light burning  bright  must take a quite a bit of magic!

You see, I have found that magic does not come easily! It is made possible only by those who work hard and keep believing, and seek what they know is possible! As you can see, there must be a great deal of magic in the education profession! Please continue to keep this magic alive and know that you are all on my good list! After all, I had to learn all that I do from somewhere! So from across the years I know I have many teachers to thank!   Last, to all teachers across the world… I really do believe in you!

Thanks for all the magic,

Santa

I hope you enjoyed this very special message from Santa. Please take a moment to share this letter with other educators across the world. It will truly help bring out the magic in our profession! Please accept my present to you,  which is another year of postings by subscribing by email or RSS and follow me on Twitter (mjgormans). You will also find a treasure of resources at my 21centuryedtech Wiki! Again, take a moment to share this blog and even give it a re-tweet so that other educators can experience the magic. May you find the peace, joy, blessing, and magic of this very special season… and to all a good night!

– Mike Gorman (http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/)

Welcome to another post rich in resources. If you have come here looking for links that will guide you to videos and multimedia to use in a Flipped Classroom that is coming in a future post. Perhaps you have tried a little Flip of your own and want to learn more. If you are beginning to investigate what a Flipped Classroom is, with the thought of possibly trying some kind of Flip yourself… then this is also the right place. I have researched and tried to find you the very best resources to get educators in all positions thinking about what a Flipped Classroom” really is”? I know that if you take a look at the resources provided you will walk away with a better understanding, and a well thought out implementation. It is the understanding and implementation that hold the key to success. Before taking this narrative journey please take a moment to subscribe to this blog by RSS or email.  I appreciate you taking that time and remember you can follow me on Twitter at mjgormans. Last, please give this article a retweet and pass it on to other educators. It might just give them a reason to FLIP… in a well-planned manner!  As always… thanks and have a great week! – Mike

Many educators are beginning to become aware of the growing teaching method referred to as “Flipping The Classroom”. Simply put… the teacher provides videos for homework, while traditional home work is done in class under teacher supervision. Unfortunately this might be just too simplistic of a definition. Possible this is why using the words “simply put” may not be the best practice in explaining anything.

You see, at first this definition does make a lot of sense, and like so many “best practices” I see great value in the idea. In fact, how many parents have sat at the study table with their child only wishing that the teacher was available to explain a math problem? How many students have had to wait until the next day to ask that important question before finishing homework? Before hauling out the video camera and writing your lesson scripts or perhaps linking to the entire Khan Academy video selection… I have several points of reflection.

Yes, I am a proponent of incorporating various multimedia and online learning in a blended environment. In fact… there is no doubt that this is the future of education. I say blended because I firmly believe that it is a real teacher that can really make a difference. Blended learning also incorporates some on-line instructional activities. Now, before jumping in the air and doing a full flip, educators must spend some time investigating and contemplating what might work best for their individual situation. Please spend a few moments and allow me to not only provide you with some resources… but also as you explore these resources, you may develop some points to ponder. It is my full intention to assist you in coming up with your own definition of the “Flipped Classroom”. As you go through the resources below… click on the links and immerse yourself. I have tried to find resources that really say it in a way that we can all understand.  You may just begin to Flip your idea of Flipping!

The Twelve Resources To Better Understand Flipping the Classroom

Blend My Learning (The Envision Experiment) - Oakland, California high school students who had failed algebra were randomly assigned to one of two summer school classes. The “control” classroom received a traditional five-week summer school curriculum for Algebra 1. The “treatment” classroom used Khan Academy for almost all of the period each day, and both classes had the same teacher. Take a look at their findings.

The Economist: Teaching Methods – An Alternative Vote… Using Science To Teach Science - This study involves the theory of “deliberate practice” by psychologist Anders Ericsson.  This research team introduced a more interactive, discussion-based and assessment-oriented approach to physics class that strongly implies major improvements to science and engineering instruction in general. Read what they learned.

Learning About The Khan Academy - You have heard about Khan and have possible even used the tutorials. Before making your own… take a moment to learn from Khan and discover the method of his success. There really is a lot of thought in each of those clips. Jack McShea in his blog HG2S Training Blog gives an awesome explanation, provides a link to Khan’s TED Talk, and provides other useful Khan Links.

The Flipped Classroom (Shedding Light on The Confusion, Critique, and Hype) - A wonderful article by Aaron Sams , considered a co-creator of the flipped class model and the co-author of the book on the flipped class. In this article Aaron does a wonderful job of describing that one must be careful in defining the “Flipped Classroom”. He makes it clearly understood that Khan is just one type of Flip. A great article allowing educators to begin  contemplating what their idea of a Flipped Classroom is.

The Telegraph – Think Tank – Flip – Thinking – The New Buzz Word Sweeping The US - Well know writer Daniel Pink (A Whole New Mind and Drive) explains how education may be changing. Daniel tells the story of  Karl Fisch (author of an awesome blog… Fischbowl) who is a 20-year veteran of Arapahoe High School located south of Denver, Colorado. He describes how Karl has found success with the Flip.

New York Times – (Learning In The Dorm Because Class Is On The Web) - Is this the future? If this turns into a college norm… are K12 schools getting students ready?  How might K12 incorporate Flipping (or blended learning) to help students transition to such an environment?

Plan B: Flip The Classroom… Every Teacher Should Do This - I include this because the writer, Donald Clark, does an excellent job of pointing out both formative and summative assessment. Before using any Flip concept an educator should investigate their knowledge and practice involving both formative and summative assessment. How might “Flipping the Classroom” facilitate summative assessment through the incorporation of formative teaching and assessment strategies?

The Flipped Classroom InfoGraphic - OK… if you are a person who learns best by pictures, this just might be your ticket. While this gives a great image of what a Flipped Classroom might be… could there be more emphasis on instructional strategies? It mentions ideas and concepts such as “learning through activity” and “educational technology”. Not a whole lot of graphics illustrating these important elements.  Perhaps you need to decide what they will be. I feel this is where a Flip done correctly allows for the teacher to create engaging high level activities, incorporate PBL, and leverage technology beyond the video lecture. Before Flipping an educator must seriously consider these aspects

USA Today: Flipped…Classrooms Take Advantage Of Technology - USA Today article that points out both advantages and some disadvantages to a Flipped Classroom model. This article provides essential ideas to ponder before making the Flip.

The Flipped Classroom - A short but very enlightening article on positive applications involved in “Flipping a Class”. This article produced by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning provides an important point to reflect on at the conclusion of the article. It states, “While I’m glad many educators seem to be jumping onboard with this model, my concerns are that some teachers may simply transfer their lectures to video and then have their students write papers or fill out worksheets during class. To me, that is bad pedagogy. However, if significant learning opportunities are capitalized on during class time, this could truly change learning and solve the problem, at least temporarily, of engaging students with material outside of the classroom” Wow… well said! Take a look at the video while you are there.

Electronic Educator - Flip Your Classroom Through Reverse Instruction – Follow one teachers path toward Flipping (Reverse Instruction). Once again it is emphasized that class time must be carefully planned with innovative and engaging ideas. It is more than just helping students with what use to be homework! Also it points out that all stakeholders must be informed about the Flip. Make sure you see the videos.

The Flipped Classroom Model - The Full Picture – And a full picture it is from a very informative and engaging blog entitled, “ UserGeneratedEducation”.  After reading this article any educator will walk away with the idea that the Flipped Classroom is more than just videos followed by paper work. Jackie Gerstein does a wonderful job of bringing the whole idea of the process together. The graphics do a wonderful job of showing how asynchronous and synchronous connections work together to involve both the individual and the group. Plan on having a little time to spend… which will be well worth it.

As you can see… the simple definition, “the teacher provides videos for homework while traditional home work is done in class under teacher supervision” does not quite fit the bill. In fact, this alone may turn a Flip into a Flop.  Educators must first begin any Flip with a well thought out understanding and follow that with a plan of action. After developing you concept of a Flip classroom you may decide to take a little more time reading, researching and planning. Most importantly remember that students should always be at the center of instruction. The idea of Flipping is another one of those wonderful peripherals we find in the true 21^st century classroom.

Thanks for joining me on this wonderful journey of 21^st century learning. Join me in future weeks as together we continue to explore several more posts devoted to the Flipped Classroom, including strategies to consider before implementing! If you have some great Flip resources please comment and send them my way. I enjoy learning from all of you. Also remember to subscribe to this blog by RSS or email and follow me on twitter at mjgormans. I also appreciate your sharing of this post and any retweets. Along with more Flipping be ready for information on STEM, PBL, Web 2.0, 21^st Century Learning… and  yes, “A Letter For Teachers From Santa”! Work on your Flip… … Land On Your Feet, and have a wonderful week! – Mike

Welcome to a post I take great pride in! Not only can you read the post… but you can download a complete lesson. In  this post I explain how you and your students can make a one shot video with no editing, and just one camera. Since it is based on written literacy and 21st century standards it can bring the Common Core into any curricular area.  Before introducing this exciting post… I want to  thank you for continuing to return and for continuing to share this blog with others. If you haven’t subscribed, please take a moment to do so. You will be guaranteed future posts by subscribing by either RSS or email. I also invite you to follow me on Twitter at mjgormans. I really do enjoy  networking with all of you! Now… on to  how you can make Simple One Take Video happen in any classroom . Have a great week!

Two special areas to take note of

1.Please be sure to download the valuable planning sheet to make a Simple One Take Video. It is found in the conclusion of this post. You will find it a valuable hand out and best of all it is free. When doing so please take a moment to subscribe to this Blog by email or RSS and give it a retweet! Thanks so much!

2.Needs some help buying a camera for your classroom. Check out the Digital Wish Web Site. In this site you will find ways you can get a camera for free or a small purchase. In fact, you may wish to check out their upcoming  promotions for educators. There are some pretty cool ways to get a camera for almost nothing! While you are there be sure to check out the lesson plan library and the area devoted to grant opportunities for educators.

A Simple One Take Video Lesson

Video production does not have to entail expensive or difficult to use software. In fact… it can require no editing software. Making a video that enhances the content standards does not have to require an expensive video camera. How about a pocket (flip video) camera, a digital still camera capable of video, or perhaps a cell phone? That can mean a budget of $25 dollars or less! Check out some of the inexpensive pocket video camcorders at your local Office Supply or Electronics store. Also, take a look at my post that details Twelve Flip Camera Alternatives for education.

The next question might be, what is a Simple One Take Video? It can perhaps be best described by the people at Common Craft Video, the organization responsible for making these style videos so popular on the web. These unique videos involve one shot, simple drawing or props, a clear and entertaining script, and usually a topic that involves an explanation of a concept or task. Length of time usually involves less than three minutes of video and is a perfect collaborative activity. Teachers can make their own Simple One Take Videos to Flip their classroom. While this can be powerful, the procedures outlined below allow for this style of video to be a student production.   Let’s go step by step.

What is a Simple One Take Video? – This style video requires a topic (see below), written script, narration, simple props, and a collaborative group of students with a small camera. The video, usually under three minutes is done in one take. Students write a script covering the topic. They then prepare props that integrate with the script. These props may include; printed words, small objects, graphics, pictures, a marker with drawing board, and even hand gestures. The script is then rehearsed with the props being used. Props are just moved in and out of the video set by hand as the script is read. When ready to shoot the video… the script, camera, and props are incorporated into a video production that begins with the record button being turned on, and ends with the record button being turned off. After a perfect video shoot, the video can  be uploaded to a computer or just viewed on camera or monitor it is tethered to. Take a look at these videos from Common Craft. http://www.commoncraft.com/videos

Pick a Topic – A Simple One Take Video can be the focus of an activity for any curricular area. Decide on whether it will explain a concept, demonstrate an idea, give a procedural overview, or show demonstration of learning. Perhaps it could provide both sides of a debate, instill a public service message, persuade an audience, explain a difficult to understand idea, or address the common core through a model or literacy piece. Best of all, allow the topic to engage your students on a content standard. By working in collaborative groups the 21^st century skills will naturally show themselves. This includes the skills of communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. You may even wish to have a rubric measuring these.

Assign the Groups – In the spirit of PBL, students should be divided into groups. Three seems to be a good number. As you consider groups, think about the roles students will take in the video production. While all students should help facilitate all tasks, a manager for each role will also help. These roles include; script writer/reader, prop creation and manipulator, and technical and project manager.

Pre-production– Students collaborate with one another in the creation of script, props, and a possible set. The set can be just a white backdrop or can be elaborate. While one student is responsible for areas assigned under groups, all students take an active role in all areas. The pre-production includes the writing of the script. It should be creative, easy to understand, concise, and compact. Ideas for props should be considered during the writing process. Students can write script by hand or use a Web 2.0 app such as Titan Pad, Write with Me, or Google Docs. Once all the script is written and all props and set are completed, a rehearsal will be needed. No camera is needed for the rehearsal. The students read from the script (use voice inflection) and manipulate the props on the set. The script does not have to be memorized since it can be used in final production. During the rehearsal the production should be timed to insure that it meets the required minutes. Students should be reminded to include and introduction and conclusion so that video does not start or end abruptly. A title slide and credit slide should also be included. On the credit slide it should also be stated that this style video was inspired by the people at Common Craft. Some students may want to include music. To make this only a “One Take…No Edit Video” it is suggested that music be played during the video shoot at a low level. When students have demonstrated readiness to do the Final Production they are ready for the next step and a camera.

Final Production – Students are now ready to shoot the final video. They will need a camera and possibly a small tripod. Remind students that holding the camera steady is important. Students will also need their scripts, props, and set (could be just a white background). Area to record the video should be in a relatively quiet spot. Narrator must speak with enthusiasm, voice inflection, and volume. This session should mimic the final successful rehearsal. Any mistakes will require a complete retake. All students should be taking responsibility for their assigned roles including; script writer/reader, prop creation and manipulator, and technical and project manager. When finished, all group members should view final project and mutually agree that it is acceptable to be handed in. Procedures for the hand in will be decided by teacher depending on methods incorporated for final saving and viewing.

Assessment – Students should be assessed using both formative and summative methods. In the formative category pre-production scripts could be the object of an assessment. The formative can also include teacher observation and facilitation throughout the project. Peer and Individual assessment in the formative stage can include journaling with reflection. This also involves that 21^st century skill of metacognition. The final rubric should include content application, collaboration, and communication. A 50% weight could be given to content standards and it might include script, accuracy, and understanding. Collaboration and communication could be the next 50% weighing in at 25% each.  Assessment method should  involve teacher, peer, and self-reflection, observation, and journaling.

In conclusion, a Simple One Take Video can provide students with a powerful process to practice 21^st century skill development while riding the rail of required content area standards. In fact, this style video might provide an exciting and engaging PBL journey to the new Common Core. It also allows the infusion of technology with just two clicks of an inexpensive camera button. As students and teachers improve the process, it can open the doors to more elaborate video production including video editing suites and mash up of multimedia. A collection of quality student produced videos could be used to flip the classroom by creating a resource collection designed to help students understand and reinforce understanding of content concepts. It really is time to turn those cameras on, practice literacy with script writing, and promote the 21^st century skills of communication, collaboration, and creativity. Best of all, the added emphasis on content standards will please those relentless standardized test. Of course, all this time your students will be engaged, learning, and creating! Welcome to the 21^st century classroom with two click of an amazing button that paves the way to a Simple One Take Video.

Well, there you have it… my thoughts on creating a Simple One Take Video. I also promised a document to get your students started in a collaborative group in making a video. I know you will find this Simple_One_Take Document a handout that you will wish to use with your students and share wth other educators.  Please continue to join me as I discuss other ways you can promote 21st century technology and learning in the classroom. But that’s not all… future posts will also contain resources on Digital Curriculum,  evaluating web resources, Project Based Learning, STEM, Web 2.0, and so much more on 21st Century Learning. Please take a moment to subscribe by RSS or email! Your subscription means a lot to me and I thank you in advance. You can also give this article a retweet if you scroll to the bottom! It’s a great way to spread the word and I appreciate your support. Remember to follow me on Twitter at mjgormans. Thanks, and until next time… I am certain you will want to start creating a Simple One Take Video in order to promote content standards and 21st century skills in support of common core goals! – Mike