Bridgewater State Ed Tech Day Keynote

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Adding Value: 

Adding Value Avoiding Trendy Tech Traps in Education Ed Tech Day, Bridgewater State University 18 August 2011 Christopher Dawson WizIQ, Inc. ZDNet/CBS Interactive

I am a…: 

Chris Dawson I am a… Dad Husband Geek Writer Educator Marketer Activist Researcher Hacker Talker

More specifically: 

More specifically Vice President of Business Development, WizIQ, Inc. Writer, ZDNet/CBS Interactive (ZDNet Education) Author (a work very much in progress) A guide to Untangle Virtual c lassrooms in modern education Adding value, not just cost centers (sound familiar?) Former school district tech director, admin, math teacher, etc.

But why “former”?: 

But why “former”? Because it’s time we changed our approach to ed tech Because sometimes we can affect change from the outside better than the inside Because “Value” has many forms Because I had too many words in my head waiting to make it onto paper (digitally speaking) Because the world has changed

So where does the value come in?: 

So where does the value come in? Tech is rarely cheap Hardware is always out of date There is always something shinier, newer, flashier, and better (cough, Apple, cough, sputter) Fads and trends abound Administrators and school committees often know just enough to be dangerous Value=? First, let me tell you a story or 3…

The Kindle: 

The Kindle How many of you heard administrators, parents, and school committee members talk about Kindles, textbooks, and the saga of the heavy backback ? Kindles are great for Reading fiction and non-fiction Newspaper and blog subscriptions Assistive technologies Has a single Kindle ever actually lightened a backpack? Have you ever seen a rich, engaging e-textbook on a Kindle?

Tablets: 

Tablets How many of you have iPads ? Other tablets? Are you deploying them to Students? Teachers? Different audience here, but… Just because they’re tablets? Without a clear understanding of app models and deployments? Without curriculum or pedagogy to support them? Without training to ensure they’re tools and not toys? Without a platform to leverage the new constant web connectivity? How many iPad rollouts do you know of…

I love…: 

I love… Kindles Tablets Interactive whiteboards Netbooks Thin clients 1:1 computing I’ve written about how wonderful each of these things are. But only when…

There is…: 

There is… Careful planning Stakeholder buy-in Management of expectations Training Associated curriculum Measurable, attainable, student-centered goals Direct impact on student achievement Not tech for the sake of tech or “21 st Century Skills”

And speaking of 21st Century Skills…: 

And speaking of 21 st Century Skills… What they are not How to use Word How to use a computer How to search the Internet How to use a tablet How to build and maintain a PC How to program

And speaking of 21st Century Skills…: 

And speaking of 21 st Century Skills…

All the tech goodies CAN: 

Which would you prefer? Waste scarce resources Distract students Introduce unnecessary complexity Teach skills instead of concepts Increase digital divides Turn focus to tech instead of instruction Give the illusion of achievement A dd extraordinary value Engage students Improve teaching efficiencies Enhance learning Improve access Differentiate instruction Improve student achievement All the tech goodies CAN

So how do we make sure we’re adding value?: 

So how do we make sure we’re adding value? The SDLC is your friend Train, train, and train some more Let the experts guide you And now for the tech portion of this slide: It’s all about The P latform

The Platform is where the value’s at: 

The Platform is where the value’s at Individual hardware , devices, particular software investments, etc., rarely have much long-term value Hardware is a commodity – anyone can buy a new computer or e-reader or tablet What we as educational technologists need to do is create spaces, platforms, and environments that improve engagement and increase student achievement We need to guide the smartest hardware purchases possible to support the bullet above

The Platform: 

The Platform Learning management systems Moodle Blackboard Instructure Many more Student information systems Follett Aspen PowerSchool Information platforms Databases The web Collaboration platforms Google Apps Microsoft Live 365 Wikis Interactive platforms WizIQ Skype My Big Campus Security Platforms Untangle Technological frameworks RTI Adaptive learning

A WizIQ anecdote: 

A WizIQ anecdote Why I left the public schools Why I joined WizIQ Where the value lies in K12 Higher Ed Independent education It’s a platform And how it relates to 6 Geeks

Some parting thoughts: 

Some parting thoughts Things can be expensive and still have value in education Adobe Creative Suite Powerful workstations Macs  Things can be free and still have value in education Wordpress / Joomla / Droopal MIT OpenCourseWare Moodle Value does not mean cheap Value means direct impact on student achievement

Questions?: 

Questions? Questions? Thoughts? Comments? Contact me Chris Dawson 978.895.1699 cdawson@6geeks.net