Confidence Through Creation and Creativity

No two snowflakes are alike. No two kids learn in the same way. Get to them differently through technology.

Diversity for all learners.  Motivation and anyone can do it!  Let's start with the kids.  They are the ones who will move us along.  We must stay with them or ahead of them, or we will not become natives, ever. There is so much out there to expose them to and we are not.  Let's do it through fun educational learning, folding in their interests.   

Dylan, age 6, killing time on his visit to Latitude HQ.

It's no surprise that gaming is popular with kids. But creation and design? Yep - unsung favorites. Thirty one percent of technology ideas proposed by children were a tool or platform for creating something (a Web site, a game, a video to be shared, a physical object, etc.).
"Artistic creation and design were common underlying principles for a large subset of the kids' technology concepts, with truly incredible diversity across disciplines. Kids wanted to be 3D game designers, Web designers, fashion designers, landscape designers, industrial designers, musicians, 'traditional' artists - and then, of course, the study itself was an exercise in imaginative creation," said Reinis.

"I'd like to paint and draw right on the computer screen and have it show up." - Abby*, Age 8

"I'd like to make up my own video game." - Zack, Age 8

"I'd like computer games to learn about fashion designing." - Klara, Age 11
Per usual, MIT's Media Lab is doing great things. This time, it's providing the tech infrastructure to help kids create. It devised a simple language called Scratch that kids aged 8 and older can use to make interactive animations, annotated stories, games, music and art. Through an external sensor kit, media created using Scratch can interact with everyday objects such as pencils or water.
This study suggests there's more opportunities to build and extend environments like Scratch (especially ones that are conversant with the physical world) as children's offerings. (And, of course, when given these types of generative tools for ideation purposes, kids can contribute real value to innovation processes.)
Interestingly, kids' drive to create - and the expectation that technology will assist creative expression - was highly under-acknowledged by parents. When asked to parents outright what their children's favorite computer activities were, only 7% chose some form of creation or design as an option while, not surprisingly, 70% selected gaming. By contrast, children's own inventions revealed artistic design as a close second to gaming.

Selection of themes coded in children's drawings (n=126)

The Social World is Growing - and Shrinking?

Social networking was especially popular amongst 10- to 12-year-olds, who contributed 56% of all socially-enabling innovations. What's more, some participants expressed a desire to expand their social spheres beyond family and friends; they wanted to meet children in far-distant locales (e.g. remotely through immersive "chat" environments).

"I want to video kids on the other side of the world using a different kind of language." - Emma, Age 7
"Continuous connectivity to people and information via the Web is the norm for many kids today, and it seems to be making them feel more capable and independent - making life opportunities feel closer at hand," said Reinis. They can look up any piece of information on Wikipedia in real-time, they can self-learn with sophisticated, interactive games, and they can even video chat international language partners on Skype for free - and many of them want to do these things.
"We see this drive to experience the world at large and the drive to express oneself in it as symptoms of a much larger phenomenon - a special brand of confidence - which we're calling 'digital optimism'," she continued. For kids today, the world, ironically, feels smaller and more accessible - just as their awareness of its size, diversity, and possibility is increasing.

Thinking Outside the Box - Change!!!!!

       "THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX" 

One of my very first gifts from a parent of a special needs student was a square with a metal box and a swing with a pendulum and a person on the end.  It sits on top of the wire box, outside of the box, of course.  There is a metal saying on it, "Think outside of the box.".  This was over 20 years ago.  I cherish this gift as it sits on my desk today as a SYMBOL of my thinking.  Another example, is a parent of a student with autism came to me with a small donation.  He said he wants to plant a seed and hopes I could put it to good use.  I created a summer autism camp for student with autism in our district.  During the following year, he came to me again and said, "You thought outside of the box" and developed a summer camp within the restrictions of public education.  He doubled the donation this year.  So with this unrestricted money, we are expanding and providing a new professional development program for teachers and support staff, after the school day using our students in the training.  I am a firm believer of "outside the box" thinking.  It is daring, difficult and do-able.  I thought I'd think outside of the C's and go to the D's. Thinking outside of the box brings change... To me if we do not think this way, CHANGE does not occur. 

See the link of outside the box.  To me, it is a perception of his OWN box that he needed to get out of....is it your box you need to get out of, or is it a creation of the organization's box?  Regardless, get daring and do it!    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxdJYJj1eBU&feature=related  

CHANGE - ITS INEVITABLE!

When is it time for change?  Can we control change?  No, not usually.  We can however, as leaders help to create necessary changes in our organization.  The best change is when we dig deep and look at what is working, what is needing to be tweaked and what needs to be started from scratch.  As John F. Kennedy (to whom I was named after, along with Jacqueline), once stated, "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."

Personal Growth Goals Just for Me (Us)

Cognitive Theory aka How the brain works and how learners, learn differently.

Through the eyes of all students and adult learners, we all learn differently, at different rates with different levels of expertise.  This article, by Mayer and Moreno puts into words what is done daily in the districts, if done correctly.  We must deliver instruction according to how our students learn.  With the students with special needs, identified or not through the special education process, teachers and administrators need to support learning through various modalities. Gone are the days when all students are to be taught one way ad it will work.  We have many students with ADD,ADHD, low SES, EL, gifted,brain injured,etc., therefore, more and more companies have assisted us with developing software and other technology devices to allow students equal access to learn as well as they can.  Not only should multimedia be provided to students in various manners, student's should have the allowances to provide their output in various manners as well. This is my goal.... to assist them to access their potential though technology input and output. 

A Learning Organizational Communication Style Survey

I just took this survey... I challenge you to as well.  I hope you do and think about the type of communicator you are.  Mine came our pretty close to what I thought it would... but made me wonder as well.  Are you a compromiser, aggressive, a roll-over???? 

Here is the link.  http://www.communicationsurvey.net/

Compromise vs. Negotiate or Constructive Controversy

Tonight’s class – CONSTRUCTIVE CONTROVERSY – it was an amazing class. Be in command, build consensus (if you can), consult with others, and bring into the task a consultant if needed.  This is true, if you don’t compromise too much or at all.  It all depends.  To me, this is what it is all about.  IT DEPENDS.  Controversy is valuable, but I feel, as a leader, you must have good facilitated communication skills.  One needs to know when to avoid, confront, pass on or challenge it. So I ponder and ask myself…. When is it compromise and when is it negotiations?  These are my immediate reflections for tonight, but wait….. I will have more to say, of course!  Stay tuned!

TO CHALLENGE THE POWER OF ONE... HERE IS THE POWER OF THE TEAM!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFdKEID5PDY

Experiencing Controversy with Admininstration

It is the evening before our second class.  I read and read and read a variety of articles, and even strayed from the readings to others. I continued to go back to my own reality of what is happening in my career, my job.  As I read I continued playing a video in my head. Our district is under new administration.  He knows our district is good but want to make it great.   Technology is something he is working towards enhancing; not only for students but for our administrators and teachers. Students adjust and enjoy changes in technology and enhancements to the classroom instruction.  It is the administration whom are experiencing the change, through exhibiting controversial conversations without boundaries for constructive criticism. Instead of holding multiple Principal meetings to discuss nuts and bolts, we have moved to the moodle and wiki section on line.  Directors place on the moodle, an Administrative Regulation for example, with open feedback and potential changes or suggestions to make. After the suggestions have been made, the Director reviews them and summarizes the changes, then takes it to the meeting for final approval.  Additionally, all of the Administrators are asked to utilize a cell phone that allows for immediate calendar access and contact at all times.  What is missing in all of this is a level of  preparation and direction for the Principals as to how to publically comment constructively, using high quality comments and potential problem solving suggestions, in order to assist in managerial decision-making. Tjosvold & Wedley tested and provided information that may be valuable to this process.  My personal opinion is that there are times when we jump in and solve problems as they arise, but there are more times when we should take a few more steps to assist staff with processes which would produce higher quality productive information from them. I like where we are going and becoming more efficient, but there are others who need process, time and more structure.  We need to differentiate for these leaders.