Innovative Learning Spaces

The role of the educator today is changing. Based on the

International Society for Technology in Education’s National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (ISTE NETS*T) teachers should be able to apply technology to:

• facilitate and inspire student creativity;
• design and develop digital-age learning experiences and assessments;
• model digital-age work and learning;
• promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility; and
• engage in professional growth and leadership.

And the Proposed 2017 ISTE Standards for Teachers view teachers as:

• Empowered Educators (Learners, Leaders, Citizens)
• Learning Catalysts (Collaborators, Designers, Facilitators, Analysts)
• The goal is to help students meet the 2016 ISTE Standards for Students as Empowered Learners, Digital Citizens, Knowledge Constructors, Innovative Designers, Computational Thinkers, Creative Communicators, and Global Collaborators.

While these expectations are quite different than the lecturer model education has used for many years, today's classrooms often don't look much different than they did many years ago often making it more challenging for teachers to modify their pedagogy.

Some innovative learning spaces are evolving to support teachers as they empower their students to learn in new ways. Educause (2015) offers ideas to design active learning spaces that support collaboration, project-based learning, inquiry learning, as well as traditional presentation and lecture methods. They suggest incorporating the following into innovative learning spaces to increase flexibility and technology use:

(1) Multiple writing spaces throughout the room (whiteboard ability on walls, tables)

(2) Presentation displays on multiple walls (no front of the room required so groups of students
can create and present on screens in their area)

(3) Internet connectivity to support all learners in the room

(4) Power throughout the room to charge students' multiple devices

(5) Movable furniture to provide flexibility in teaching and learning (tables & chairs with wheels)

Video source:Educause. (2015, June 22). 5 tips for active learning space design [Video File]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXDTxEeLLD8


As the second semester begins, consider how you

will teach and how you can arrange your learning space to facilitate that teaching and learning. How will you facilitate and inspire student creativity? How will you design digital-age learning experiences to help students construct knowledge? How can you provide opportunities for students to collaborate globally and present learning in creative ways? Perhaps the way you design your classroom will determine how learning will take place. I would love to see pictures of the creative learning spaces you design to facilitate student learning, as well as samples of student projects!

All the best in the new year!

Coaching for Technology Integration

This is the time in the semester when I get really excited! Preservice teachers in literacy practicum
have been in the classroom since the beginning of the school year. They have been teaching literacy courses as well as literacy across the curriculum, using their iPad to access lesson plans and online reading curriculum. They have received formal feedback on their teaching and are confidently managing the class. Additionally they have been creating technology projects to use in their practicum classroom. Now they are preparing to make their students the creators in demonstrating their learning using technology.

At the same time their cooperating teachers are beginning to listen to technology ideas as I share them with their preservice teachers. When cooperating teachers have a question about technology they go to their preservice teacher, and sometimes I'm lucky enough to be in the room to help out. One question this week was about how to search for images within Google Docs. Since the Research tool has been replaced by Explore, teachers have to change their visuals that demonstrate how students can add images to their research projects. A preservice teacher found that Explore let's you search the web, images, and your Google Documents to add information to your paper. She created a screencast using Screencastify to show students how to add images to their presentations. I was so impressed with the level of this screencast and others created this semester.

Additionally, we just had Tech EDGE 18 The Future is Now: Innovative Approaches to 21st Century Learning. A couple cooperating teachers and other inservice teachers led sectionals demonstrating creative ways they are integrating technology in the classroom. Student teachers, and some of these literacy practicum students, attended the conference along with some classroom teachers. When processing what they learned and wanted to use in their classrooms these beginning teachers discussed ways they could incorporate Genius Hour, Makerspaces, Google Classroom, interactive student responses, international collaboration, green screen videos, Google Draw, and much more. How exciting to send new teachers into the field with innovative ideas of what education can be along with competence in making it a reality. I am convinced there has never been a more exciting time to be a teacher, and am proud to coach amazing preservice teachers and their cooperating teachers. Now to prepare for more preservice teachers to observe classroom teachers using 1:1 devices with students at Tech EDGE Aurora on Wednesday! Let the innovation continue!

Innovative Schools with Personalized Learning

This week I have visited schools that inspire me! They extend the bounds of what school can be to meet the individual needs of its students. The first is Mill Neck Schools for the Deaf and Special Needs Preschool. I was inspired by this sign outside one classroom empowering all children to be scientists, authors, explorers, creators, thinkers, leaders! Another bulletin board noted that these students have as their Super Power... Signing! One graduate of the School for the Deaf just graduated from Harvard Law School, realizing the school's vision in her own life through their individualized educational program to help her realize her God-given potential.

I enjoyed seeing the way technology enables the teacher to present multimedia on a specially designed Smart Device where the teacher can sign on the other half of the board as information is shown. Now students can look at one board to see content and watch the teacher sign to teach at the same time. Amazing!

Next I visited Long Island Lutheran Middle and High School, a progressive school preparing students to serve and lead globally in 21st century careers. LuHigh offers an Academy Model to allow students to pursue their interests and passions within a college preparatory curriculum. Beginning as a junior students may focus their learning in areas including STEM, Leadership & Communications, Allied Health Services, Social Science, and Arts & Humanities. This allows students to explore interests before applying to college to build knowledge and learn if this is a field they would like to pursue. 100% of students go on to college!

When I visited a class was working in a Makerspace to design a prosthetic hand for a child in another state who was born with only two fingers. This robotics course uses project-based learning to inspire students to create to meet real world needs. Student designers are building two models that will allow another student to grasp a lacrosse stick to better compete in a sport he loves. They are collaborating with the child to find out with what other activity he would like the second device to assist. After designing they will create the prosthetic using one of the five 3D printers in this space. These students are learning the STEM areas of critical thinking to make a difference in someone's life, and their own.

Personalized learning does motivate students to pursue their interests as they develop their God-given gifts. It is exciting to see actual schools achieving standards while helping students go far beyond to achieve their own goals and prepare for college and career. Hats off to these Lutheran schools of excellence!

Tech EDGE 17: Innovation in Teacher Education

Can it really be August already and nearly time for school to begin? Indeed it is, and along with the beginning of a new year comes the Tech EDGE conference for teacher educators, classroom teachers, administrators, and media specialists. This will be our seventeenth Tech EDGE conference planned to meet our mission, "To create a generation of teachers who are effective and confident using new technologies to prepare the students of Nebraska to participate and lead in tomorrow's global society." For more than seven years Guy Trainin and I have been working with university instructors, classroom teachers, and preservice teachers to impact technology integration in the classroom. Throughout this time dozens of classroom teachers have grown in their use of technology in the classroom, then come to present at Tech EDGE so more teachers and preservice teachers can learn how to effectively integrate technology across the curriculum. Because of the partnerships of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Concordia University Nebraska, and multiple schools throughout the state, Tech EDGE received the AACTE 2016 Best Practice Award for Innovative Use of Technology in Teacher Education.

Specifically in the summer we focus on university instructors. We have found that in order for preservice teachers to effectively use technology in their own teaching they need to experience effective teaching and learning with technology in their classes, as well as observe it in field experiences. We assist university instructors in a variety of student-centered learning including running backchannels to involve students, creating screencasts to share content, collaborating using Google Drive, providing ongoing feedback using online formative assessments, and incorporating democratic principles into classrooms.

We invite and hope to welcome all teacher educators from across the state to join us on August 17. We begin by exploring current best practices in education at all levels. At the university we need to know what technologies schools are using and their expectations for new teachers. Colleagues will discuss current topics in round table format, each sharing what they are finding helpful as we learn together. Participants bring their own devices and learn new tools to begin using this semester. Finally we will explore leading edge practices in higher education, focusing on how we can continue to collaborate among teacher education programs.

Checkout our weekly video podcast about mobile learning in K-12 classrooms on iTunes U and on YouTube. We invite you to join us, and share your ideas for keeping teacher education relevant in 21st century classrooms. All the best in the new year!

Learning Spaces that Inspire Students

This summer I had the opportunity to teach a graduate course on technology integration in an
experimental classroom and a collaborative classroom. I have been thinking much about effective design of learning spaces for a while now and using these two designs helped me evaluate how rooms could be arranged to foster collaboration and sharing. The teachers in the course stated that they wished they had this type of learning space in their classrooms so students could sit in a variety of groupings to work on projects, all the while able to see information projected on screens. To meet standards more and more we ask students to collaborate as they ask questions, research, and report learning. Having a space facilitates working together, sometimes sharing devices, can make this process more natural for students.

So what components should be considered when designing a learning space? I propose the following: 1. Movable furniture.  The experimental classroom had movable chairs with rollers to allow students to work in a variety of groupings by simply sliding the chair. The chairs came in a variety of styles from overstuffed, to hard plastic, all with cup holders and side writing tables to slide up when needed. The collaborative classroom provided chairs, tables, whiteboards, and projection screens all on wheels so groupings can be created as needed for each learning activity.
2. Large HD TV screens with Apple TVs on each wall. No matter if students turn their chair to the side to work with a partner, or turn it completely around to work in a small group, every student can see the screen at all times because there is a screen on all four walls. Groups creating projects can project their work on the nearest screen using the Apple TV so everyone in the group can see and contribute to the work as it progresses.
3. Internet access for student devices. Every student brought multiple devices into the class each day. It was important that the room had adequate wireless Internet capability to  provide fast access for all devices. Students used laptops for setting up accounts and writing longer pieces, tablets for taking pictures and making videos, and phones to connect with each other.
4. Writable walls. All walls become writing surfaces. As groups form around the room, students can write ideas on the wall spontaneously during brainstorming, then analyze and organize ideas on their devices to present.

On May 20, 2016 Education Technology presented Introducing the 'Classroom of the Future'. They propose that we should build classrooms to include space for student programming, interactive screen walls, interactive desks connected to the cloud, solar windows to reduce carbon footprint and save money, and open space for students to interact with holograms in virtual reality.

As school begins, how will you arrange your classroom? Consider what learning activities you will involve students in, then create a space to make that happen. Build the thought behind "making" into your learning space to empower students to build and create innovative designs to solve problems. Those first days back in the classroom can be exciting this year! Please share a picture of your learning space that inspires students!

Using Technology to Relate to Youth

I just returned from New Orleans where I attended the National Youth Gathering. 25,000 high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors came together from across the country to learn and grow together. The organizers of this exciting conference knew how to connect with teenagers using a variety of social media sites, apps, screens, websites, and other technologies. Beginning with the opening night program in the Super Dome as captured by colleague Donna Lucas students participated in the music and shared personal responses to the message using Poll Everywhere. They were further challenged to take a survey using their mobile devices, receive a reply that they could take the following day to a booth to receive a button. Universities were thus able to connect with interested youth without having to input handwritten information into an online database, and students could visit and have questions answered when they visited the booth.

When I asked a student the following day if he knew any people in his high school who don't have an iPhone he quickly responded, "No." Everyone he knows has a cell phone that connects to the Internet. Then I asked at what age students get phones and he replied 5th or 6th grade, but his brother got a phone in 4th grade so his mother could connect with him. She just put some restraints on the phone to keep her child safe.

Knowing that each of these high schoolers would come with a mobile device and many social media connections, this conference engaged students throughout. Huge TV screens projected speakers and musicians so all could see clearly, the Offline App connected students to the performed music so each device lit up in a rainbow of colors and light, all 25,000 students could respond individually to questions posed to the whole group using Poll Everywhere and responses were displayed on a huge screen in the venue in real time, Twitter quotes were displayed by presenters as sources to support their ideas, and participants tweeted using the conference hashtag along with daily topics so they could share pictures and ideas beyond their individual groups. Technology connected these students beyond the mass gatherings into their many hotels, interest centers, recreation activities, and mission work throughout New Orleans. Learning about the violence in Baton Rouge through newsfeeds, these amazing students donated 200 units of blood which were sent immediately to assist with the police shooting that happened simultaneously with the conference.

And these students will continue to connect beyond today as they left the conference to go back to their homes across the country, because they are connected with shared experiences. Via social media these students will continue to make a difference in the world as they collaborate virtually, and hopefully reconnect in college and beyond.

What can we in education learn from this experience? I share three thoughts.
1. We can make use of the devices that students already carry to school for learning, getting us to 1:1 more quickly.
2. We can use social media in positive ways to connect students and share ideas with the world.
3. We can empower students to impact society positively by following news events and reacting to help.

What Do You Know about Teaching Gen-Z?

Yesterday I read an article in the Washington Post that really made me think about the students in our schools today. The article is called "Who Are These Kids? Inside the race to decipher today's teens who will transform society as we know it."  The author, Caitlin Gibson, defines the current generation as Gen-Z or iGen and notes that these kids were born between 1998 and today. The oldest of these students are age 18 to 20 and will be voting in their first presidential election this fall. Of course they would be called the iGeneration because they grew up in the "Screen Age" using iPads, iPhones, and other mobile devices.

Please allow me to share some results of this ongoing research to learn more about our youngest generation. By interviewing Gen-Z students researchers found that these kids spend an average of 2 to 5 hours per day in front of screens, with some reporting 9 hours per day accessing media. Some reported getting their first phone in the 5th grade and loving apps. A 10 year old stated that she received 219 text messages in a single day. Gen-Z students describe their school day as using Chromebooks or computers in each class, and if the power goes out they just sit there. Learning for these students is engaging online. What does this expectation say to teachers and teacher education programs about how we need to teach to reach these students?

Gen-Z kids really did learn to use tablets often before they could talk, and their parents frequently shared baby photos on social media as soon as these children were born. Gen-Z kids report communicating today almost entirely through screens using images and video, often self-created, along with words. Multimedia is the language in which they communicate. They are more open on social media than Millennials, and also more realistic when it comes to costs because they lived through the recession.

The article does a nice job of following technology use through the existing generations today: The Greatest Generation listened to the radio, the Boomers watched TV, GenX used computers, Millennials use the Internet, and Gen-Z are mobile screen users and creators. This research is being conducted to inform all areas of society where these newest workers are beginning to graduate high school this year and fill positions. Will Gen-Z expect college online? Will they prefer to work from home? How and what will they purchase? All of these expectation from the Gen-Z kids who are used to constant attention from social media connections will determine the direction society moves. Anyone watching the presidential primary process can see how candidates are attuned to capturing the attention and support of these newest voters.

So how do schools and universities need to prepare these students to be productive citizens and lifelong learners? I suggest that we build upon their strengths and interests utilizing technology as a vehicle for learning. We make students creators and encourage them to share their learning with the world. We help them connect with a variety of people to solve real-world problems and act on their suggestions. We teach remembering that it's all about our students and preparing them for the society and world in which they will need to live and contribute. Provide students choice in technology tools and projects used to learn and demonstrate learning, and be willing to learn from these true digital natives. All the best as you empower Gen-Z to positively impact the world.