LessonCast helps learning communities design professional development that targets specific needs and changes instructional practice. We support a continuum of professional learning that spans support for teachers new to the classroom, experienced teachers with expertise to share, and leaders guiding a community in improving instruction. The Common Core Conundrum – Why We Can Set the How or the What but not Both
2013-05-02 12:17:50
Once upon a time, I learned that in leading a school initiative I could specify the how or I could s...
Posts Tagged 'edtech'
Design with the Future in Mind
This week while attending SXSWedu sessions, “personalized learning” is all a buzz. As I listen to the panels and engage in conversation, I worry that the discussion lacks a clear grasp of the concrete implications for rethinking classrooms, student learning, and teaching roles. I’ve already written about my realizations that some of the current constructs for “delivering instruction” are not going to survive true personalized learning environments (see Slow Death of the Lesson Plan). Now I’m realizing that some of the tools that are being presented as forward thinking are …
5 Ways Creation Trumps Consumption of Education Technology
I am a huge fan of the weekly podcast with Audrey Watters and Steve Hargadon. Last month, a few of their conversations touched on the perils of thinking about education technology as something that teachers would only consume versus having a role in creation. Edtech is commonly used as a content-delivery vehicle. While these tools may efficiently impart information, this consumption model engages the lowest levels of cognition. Technology has greater impact when it’s used to democratize the tools of production. (Chris Anderson’s The Long Tail explains this shift and …
Edtech and the Public Trust
Chris Lehman’s call to arms for those of us in education to remember that we have a responsibility to hold the public trust resonated with me. As a co-founder of an edtech company, LessonCast Learning, and curriculum and professional developer in a large district, I take this responsibility very seriously. I share Chris’ disappointment when this trust is violated, and unfortunately, as Chris indicates, it seems to happen too often. Of course, cheating scandals, and covering up cheating scandals are clear-cut violations. However, when we’re not thoughtful about finding the …
Ten Takeaways from Eric Ries’ Chat on EdTech
On our return trip from ISTE, our LessonCast team stopped over in San Francisco for an EdTech Meetup featuring Eric Ries. Wayee Chu from New Schools Venture Fund and Alan Louie from Imagine K12 began the event by introducing companies that launched through their respective incubators—great to see friends from Junyo, GoalBook, ClassDojo, and Remind101 all in the same room. Also reconnected with friends from MySciHigh, Kidblog, NoRedInk and Plickers. (Missed my friend from alumn.us!) Jennifer Carolan, from New Schools Venture Fund and longtime friend of Eric Ries, interviewed Ries before …
Baltimore’s Digital Harbor Foundation
I’ve been writing for some time about the need to have more crossover conversations among educators, startups, policy makers and investors. Thursday night I saw this happen at Digital Harbor Foundation’s Edtech Link Fundraiser in Baltimore. Audrey Watters wrote a great piece sharing the work of the Digital Harbor Foundation. When everyone thinks and works together, truly innovative ideas emerge and can be put into action. The two young and energetic co-executive directors, Andrew Coy (Baltimore City high school teacher) and Shelly Blake-Plock (of TeachPaperless), brought together students, teachers, principals, …
New Thoughts on Khosla’s TechCrunch Article
Okay, I’m taking another stab at my response to Khosla’s TechCrunch article because I don’t think I did him enough justice, or explained well enough my own issues with the piece. In one of my online communities, I was challenged by Doug Crets, a respected colleague, for missing the main points of Khosla’s article and not crediting Khosla with how closely he does align with the needs in education. My title, “Teachers Won’t Replace Algorithms,” probably led readers down the wrong path, similar to how TechCrunch’s calling Khosla’s article “Do …
