A year of student's reflections and suggestions for BYOD 2013-2014 :)               Does bringing technology into the classroom have any long lasting benefits to the depth and degree of how you learn and what you create?

You Can Never Be The Expert in Your Own Backyard...And Other Great Reasons to Use Richard as Your Next Guest Speaker

This week I had the pleasure of hosting Richard Byrne as a guest speaker and trainer for 2 days of inservice for students and staff at Paradise Valley Christian Prep in Phoenix, Az.  I wanted to invite an “expert” to our campus and re-awaken the dream that students and teachers could and should be actively engaged in the borderless and global classroom we call home in the 21st century. Here is some insight on “what you get” by inviting an expert into your own backyard.

Lessons Worth Learning

Share what you have...and others will do the same.
PVCP held a Technology Symposium for the 21st Century Classroom with Richard as Keynote speaker.  Knowing the value of Richard’s work we sent invitations out to five surrounding school districts to attend free of charge. Collaboration counts and we now have a Professional Network with Grand Canyon University, Dysart USD, Fowler USD, Cave Creek USD and Northwest Lutheran School where there had been no sharing of resources and Professional Development opportunities before.
Every minute can count.
The week before Richard arrived the inservice schedule had to be completely revised. We adapted by having “A Round Table with Richard” for classes and teachers that could work with the unexpected game change. The ability to diversify content for each group was inspirational.  See Richard’s schedule below:
1st Grade:  Teaching students how big and connected we all are using google earth. Richard followed a path from his house in Maine to a friend in Canada to the place in Iceland where they like to go biking.  He then had the class use Skype to sing Jen the IT Specialist from Alberta, Canada  the student’s favorite song.  Priceless!
7th Grade: Richard knows how to control a mob.  The activity was to use Google Presentation and create a slideshow on Myths of the Desert using research tools, picture inserts, and citations. Student feedback - this tool met their needs and interests more than Powerpoint or Prezi.
High School: Topics that mattered most - Google Earth, Google Drive, Creative Commons Use, and How to Promote a Performance on Youtube. Nice to know...Richard shared stories of himself and created a genuine opportunity to discuss career options and personal development.
Staff Development:  Richard really moved mountains by using the 3 hour inservice to get teachers comfortable using Google Drive, Evernote, QR Codes and Scorative. My personal highlight was seeing our Headmaster create a Twitter account and get a “hello” from those who follow Richard.  The most inspirational moment of his visit was having the staff see what students had already accomplished online.  Richard measurably pulled together our campus and community by his words and his ability to get teachers to buy into the power of these free tools.

FYI:  All the tools “introduced” during his visit have been part of a professional mantra I tried to implore my staff to learn, but one they never fully embraced...which just proves the point that you can never be an expert in your own backyard!

Disclosure:  
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
The generosity of time, talent, personal and genuine encouragement Ricard gave to to students and teachers has provided fertile ground for the inspired student, and teacher.  

 Today my students were given the opportunity to play the online game Would You Eat That? to better comprehend what they are consuming daily from the modified food supply of the 21st century. Why? Because I believe games can improve learning.  Games provide a practice for students  to create solutions and understanding  for the very  real challenges and risks in a world.  In my observation of the kids in class...the hook for learning was not the entertainment factor but the level of challenge required to play the game.  What do you think of online games as part of the core curriculum?

The challenge for many students is the ability to bring in their everyday technology into the classroom.  This week 7A is invited to find a way to bring 21st Century relevance into another classroom on campus.  
What do you think the best use of cell phones in the classroom will be?  Winner takes home the Starbucks!

"Christmas Purchased" has come and gone leaving behind  "splendiferous" gifts from Santa's favorite retailers.  Who knew how techy Santa's inventory for 2012 would become? Before leaving for Christmas break this year I was asked what the best computer, tablet, educational gaming system...etc would provide a top of the line experience for the K-12 child. The race for the gold in all things  Web 2.0 continues to accelerate more rapidly in each passing season.

As each of us reach for a little quiet time after the hustle and bustle of travel, relatives, and holiday parties where will we  choose to unwind?  Can you remember reading a book in a tent made from blankets or building a "new world" with the army men or weeble people that filled your stockings? Can you recall the size of the cardboard boxes that new electronics came in back in the day...and how joyful it was to make a house or fort out of the old TV box?

Finding myself drawn to the latest technology and interacting with the best HD screen available to relate and create in the 21st century makes me a little nostalgic for what childhood use to look like the week after Christmas. Without a doubt it is time to reach for the sleds and head outside to connect to the greatest gift of the season. Family and wide open spaces of love. 

What will you fill your days with over the break?