Browsing articles tagged with " Professional Development"

Question 175 of 365: Where does arrogance come from?

Jun 25, 2010   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   365 Questions, Uncategorized  //  No Comments
The five dimensions of Meta-leadership as deve...
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It is impossible to know everything, or to even know all of the things that there are to know in one particular area. We all know this to be true, and yet there is a certain level of arrogance for people in positions of power that seems to imply the opposite.

Consulting and arrogance go hand in hand. You never have to stick around to see hoe things shake out. Anyone who claims to know the solution is a consultant and not a stakeholder.

Stakeholders are around for the long haul. They are interested in making sure that everything has been thought through and that backup loans exist. Consultants don’t worry about backup plans. They are never brought in again if the first time didn’t work out.

It is not to sway that consultants can’t care about the issues of the day, it is just that they are an expendable part of the community. The arrogance that comes from not doing any one thing for a terribly long time is so ingrained in their actions that they start to believe all that they are preaching. I am glad for their voices and their persecutive, but I don’t want them running anything. I want consistent voices, but ones that crack every once in a while. I don’t want the mighty voice coming down from on high and letting me in on the secret to a better work life or collaborative solution.

Arrogance comes from a place of will.

The consultant is under the impression that they can will something into being. It is their personality and charismatic leadership that are going to see us through. It is their vision and forward thinking that will place us ahead of the pack. It is their body of work that will speak for itself and show us the way.

I was once a consultant for the job that I now hold. Before I became a stakeholder, I had the chance to be arrogant. I consulted on creating an online school and provided professional development on how to create online courses. The school that I helped to first design had several flaws, not the least of which was that I wasn’t sure I would have to live with the results if I stopped consulting. I developed something that didn’t require me to exist and that made sense to do. Unfortunately, the results became readily apparent of how drastically different our vision was from what we actually implemented.

We had disjointed and inconsistent content. We had to switch learning mangement systems (3 times in two years). We had no way to insure that the tools that our stakeholders used today would be in place tomorrow, and we switched it on them many times.

All of these things come from a place of arrogance. I arrogantly thought that by providing 101 tools and resources for authentic learning that would be enough to spark the people I was consulting with to create an environment that we could all be proud of. But I was just a consultant presenting an answer. I didn’t listen to what happened before and I sure didn’t want to admit that I had never actually attended an online course. I claimed authority when all I should have been claiming was my seat at the table.

So, here is what I promise:

I will never consult on a project that I don’t ever have to see again.

I will never create a solution before I know the real problems.

I will never offer my experience as evidence that the current project will be a success.

I will never start a revolution without understanding exactly who’s head I will have to cut off to do so.

I will never stop being honest with those around me as to my bias, my understanding, and my plans.

I will listen to anyone who cares to speak with me.

I do not want the arrogance that comes along with consulting. Instead, I want to be so invested in my work, regardless of actual titles, that I feel as though I am staking all that I am with each action. “Becsause I said so” is not enough. At least not for me, and certainly not any more.

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Podcast: It’s All Happening

Mar 7, 2008   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   Uncategorized  //  No Comments
It's All Happening Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (671)

This podcast is all about how budget cuts and justifying every expenditure does not have to stop the process of creation and respect for that process. What has been your experience?

Links from podcast:

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The Case for Purpose, The Case for Better

Mar 5, 2008   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   Uncategorized  //  1 Comment

The purpose in putting pen to paper, making those marks across the page. The purpose in pressing keys and moving the mouse. The purpose in proposing change, in newly minted hope. Are they the right ones? Are they the ones that we will be most proud of tomorrow, or in ten years.

The reason why I ask is because of all of the things that our skeptics have challenged us with, the charge of purpose is the one that weighs the heaviest upon me. Even the would-be advocates and the late-adopers, these people matter because they cause us to push ourselves into the areas of purpose. Why would we use Google Docsrather than Word? Why should we push for open standards? Why should we create learning drastically different learning environments using tools that require a lot of professional and personal investment?

The purpose matters in what we do.

We should be able to articulate it clearly and readily. In speaking to the Math teacher on my team, she asked me what the purpose of a scribe post was in the face of other, more simple techniques for getting kids to collect what they have done in the classroom from day to day. It took me aback after we had watched the wonderful K12 presentation on the subject (Release the Hounds). My breath was caught in my throat for just one second. Am I a charlatan? Do I, in fact, have a reason for working so hard to implement blogging in the classroom other than the fact that it is my natural instinct as a connected teacher to want to connect my kids to one another and the world.

For too long I have shied away from questions about whether or not blogging will help teachers do things quicker, more efficiently, or better. I have made the argument that blogging and other environment influencing tools help to create a different system, a different type of classroom, so how can you possibly compare the two. But that is not giving a purpose. That is shifting the target. That is saying to all of the potential stakeholders that your goals are no longer valid; these are the new and improved measurements of success.I’m not sure that we can win with that argument because it dodges the whole concept of purpose.

‘Why should we change’ is a fundamental question that cannot be answered by a hypothetical appeal to a 21st century economy that may or may not exist in the near or distant future. That cannot be our main avenue to get change accomplished. To a certain extent, we must be able to explain how the collaborative tools and the pedagogy of creation and authenticity will help to get kids and teachers to someplace better, not just someplace different.

We have to make the case for “better.”

So, my question to everyone who reads this is how have you made the case that the way you do things is not just different, but better? How have you taken your learning network and been able to show that it isn’t just a bunch of educational nerds in a vacuum? How have you shown someone purpose behind what you do?

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Unconventional Podcasting

Feb 19, 2008   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   Uncategorized  //  No Comments

Podcasting is not one thing. It is not an audio file format. It is not an iTunes feed. Podcasting is bigger than that. It includes the ideas of digital storytelling, new literacy, audio and video sharing, the writing process, and the Read/Write web. But none of those words matter.

What matters is the learning, the change we are making in the classroom. So, what is the best way to do this? The quickest way? The way that makes technology invisible instead of opaque?

The Presentation PDF – Starter Tools, Creator Tools, Designer Tools

Creating Enhanced Podcasts on the PC 

Tutorials:

Gcast:

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VoiceThread:

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Audacity:

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Mini VoiceThread PD

Jan 24, 2008   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   Uncategorized  //  No Comments

Quite a few teachers have been asking me about how to use voicethread because they see the real potential that digital storytelling of this nature can have on the classroom and on learning. A few, however, have been delayed in trying it because of technical difficulties. Although there a much better tutorials out there on Voicethread (like this one), I would like to add my few screenshots to the mix in order to give some options. (In case you were wondering, I used Skitch in order to create these screenshots, please e-mail me for an invite to this extremely useful software.)

The following tutorial (of sorts) only goes over uploading images and recording your voice. Check out the above links for more info.

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Discourse about Discourse: Educasts Archive

Dec 14, 2007   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   Uncategorized  //  No Comments
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As I am moving everything over from Podomatic and Edublogs, I thought it only appropriate that I combine the podcasts I have done in the past into an archive.

The Future of Literacy

 

January 23, 2007 08:21PM

This is a podcast about how I see the world of literacy shaping up in the next few years. This idea was brought about by discussion ideal learning environments with my 7th and 8th grade students.

Why All Teachers Should Be Using Web 2.0

January 23, 2007 08:37PM

 

I have been thinking a lot about this question. Should all teachers be using the Read/Write Web in their classrooms, or am I merely a part of the latest educational technology trend. I try to answer it in a fairly in-depth, before-school podcast.

The Discovery School within a School

January 29, 2007 04:18AM

 

A colleague of mine and I were brainstorming all of the technology implementation possibilities for the next school, when he suggested that what we were talking about was not merely two classes (Social Studies and Language Arts) collaborating, but that we were shifting the paradigm of teaching to a School within a School. On this podcast, I attempt to flesh out what a technology-centric School within a School would look like and I hit upon a couple of things: 1. Online interactive notebooks. 2. Collaborative note taking. 3. Curriculum wiki’s that are edited by students and teachers. 4. Teacher reflective blogging. 5. Strands of curriculum that students could learn all disciplines within. 6. Synchronous and Asynchronous online discussion.

The Perfect Learning Environment

January 31, 2007 03:57AM

 

This podcast is of a discussion that I had with my 7th and 8th grade students about what they think the perfect learning environment would be like. I asked them a few guiding questions, but their ideas were purely their own. I think there is a lot of insight here. If you would like to follow the online discussion, you can go to our conversate page at http://conversate.org/conversation/3JTD3.

Teacher-Proof Teaching

January 31, 2007 04:04AM

 

I created this podcast because I was frustrated with the way our vision of education seems to conflict with the reality of education. I know that the administration at my school wants only what is best for kids. I do not have any doubts in their abilities as leaders. Yet, I do wonder if every “education movement” we fall prey to is good for our school. This podcast takes a critical look at current educational practices, and is therefore both different from and similar to my other podcasts.

The New Graduation Requirements

February 01, 2007 07:55PM

 

I have been thinking a lot about how we have the same graduation requirements that we have always had. We may have upped the number of Math and English classes, but each student has to do the same things in high school, jump through the same hoops. Why is it that none of the new literacies and skills are included in the graduation requirements? Why should each student accomplish the same things in four years, when they will all be doing different things with their lives? Shouldn’t we be preparing our students to compete, to stand out in a crowded field of applicants? Well, this podcast tries to answer a few of these questions.

How do we assess School 2.0?

February 11, 2007 08:36PM

 

I’ve been trying to figure out for a while just how assessment is going to look in School 2.0. I have developed (or at least half-baked) 3 types of assessments that I would consider in this new type of environment: 1. Conversation 2. Reflection 3. Aggregation

Parents as School 2.0 Stakeholders

February 13, 2007 08:58PM

 

Convincing parents that the skills of School 2.0 are important is going to be one of the biggest jobs facing all teaching in the very near future. I have outlined in this podcast three possible ways of accomplishing this goal: 1. Student exemplars of continual advancement. 2. Constant communication and reflection on learning between parents and teachers, students and teachers, and parents and students. 3. Parent and Student testimonials of engagement and achievement. My hope is that by identifying the things that are the most convincing to parents, we can create a compelling argument for technological school reform.

The Internet as Utopia

February 18, 2007 08:51AM

 

This was a discussion I had with my 8th graders about how the Internet could be used as a vehicle for creating a utopia in their everyday lives. I was truly surprised and intrigued by some of their responses. Many of the students believe that the internet is a “0.” Meaning that there are just as many bad things on the internet as there are good. One student also identified the three most influential groups for his (and other young people’s) life: The Governement, Celebrities, and The Internet. Another student proposed splitting the internet into different sections, so that no one who was looking for educational materials would be able to stumble upon to pornography and misinformation. I am encouraged by my kids’ ability to think so abstractly on this subject, but I am disheartened to find out that so many of my students hold such a bleak look of the most amazing resource of our time. I wonder if each of them were immersed in a School 2.0 experience they would feel the same way.

What Myspace can teach us about School 2.0

February 21, 2007 07:18PM

 

This podcast was brought about because of the classroom discussion that my eighth graders had about what a terrible affect Myspace can have on their lives. I wanted to start brainstorming a school-sponsored space that we could substitute for Myspace that would be an extension of the classroom. This space would have the ability to connect students over academic interests as well as personal interests. It would allow for photo sharing and digital storytelling within these photos. Primarily, however, this space would allow students to comment on everything. Each element of the space (a module) would have a feedback form, so students would get comments about their school notes, their podcasts, their blog posts, their beliefs, and their photos. I can’t think of anything that would engage students more than being able to get specific feedback on all of the important aspects of their lives, and to do it all in an environment that wouldn’t allow the inflammatory remarks that are a systematic part of Myspace. Let me know what you think of this idea and its feasibility at benjamin.wilkoff@dcsdk12.org or http://yongesonne.edublogs.org

What does support look like in School 2.0?

March 03, 2007 07:06AM

 

Support is such an essential part of education, but many of us who are looking ahead to a technologically rich educational experience sometimes forget this. Because we are savvy, we expect others (including our students) to be savvy. I created this podcast in order to flesh out a few of the ways that we can support teachers who want to transition to School 2.0. The basic points that I came up with were: 1. All teachers need an aggregator starter pack. 2. School 2.0 must be framed in terms (and using tools) that most teachers understand. 3. Small groups of teachers must conduct relevant research within the specific school before many teachers will buy in. 4. School 1.0 teachers should engage in assessing School 2.0 products from the small group’s classrooms as a way of transitioning into a more collaborative model. I have also decided to start including the chapter information and links as part of the show notes for those of you who do not have access to a podcatcher that recognizes enhanced podcasts. # 00:00:00: Outdated Paper? Dave Cormier’s Blog (http://www.davecormier.com/edblog/) # 00:02:04: How does support look in School 2.0? School 2.0 Wiki (http://school20.wikispaces.com) # 00:04:20: An Aggregator Starter Pack Netvibes (http://www.netvibes.com) # 00:06:16: RSS as Support xFruits (http://www.xfruits.com) # 00:08:32: Framing collaboration Ourtenwords.org (http://www.ourtenwords.org) # 00:12:20: Collaboration Take 2 # 00:13:35: Supporting Relevant Research Terry Freedman (http://www.terry-freedman.org.uk/db/web2/) # 00:15:16: Flat Classroom Assessment The Flatclassroom Project Wiki (http://flatclassroomproject.wikispaces.com) # 00:16:50: Summary and Conclusion My blog (http://yongesonne.edublogs.org)

Is School 2.0 just a fad?

March 06, 2007 08:20PM

 

Although there is a lot of talk about School 2.0 among those in the edublogosphere, I believe that many educators are going to try and wait out the torrent of technology integration that they currently are experiencing because they believe that it is merely a fad that will eventually go away. If we are serious about this type of systemic change, we need to be able to convince everyone that School 2.0 is not a fad. In this podcast I came up with a few observations about the nature of School 2.0: 1. We need a watershed collaborative School 2.0 event that causes all educators to take notice (I’m thinking of a hybrid between the numbers on myspace with the education of the K12 Online Conference (http://k12onlineconference.org/)) 2. Once you give students the power to create their own learning, you can never take it back (nor would most teachers who have tried it, want to take it back). 3. Students are clamoring for School 2.0 classrooms, even if they don’t know that is what they are looking for. 4. School 2.0 is not a fad because it doesn’t repackage something that has come before (like many movements in education). It is truly something new. Show/Chapter Notes:

Researching School 2.0

March 13, 2007 08:58PM

 

In creating a wiki for my vision of School 2.0 within a school, I have found that there is quite a bit of research out there supporting 1:1 computing, constructivist teaching practice, and engaging technology usage in the classroom. What is even more amazing is that I didn’t know that this research existed because it has been so universally ignored by much of the proponents of this kind of reform. We must have this kind of research on the tips of our tongues, and we must be ready to spout off both the anecdotal evidence and the numbers to anyone who wants to know more about where education is going. We must also create our own research from our own classrooms. This podcast describes three different ways of achieving this goal: 1. A malleable research model that can assess new types of technology as it becomes available. 2. Survey and reflection of what is working in our classrooms. 3. Comparisons of certifications of mastery. Show notes:

A New Image for New Students

March 20, 2007 05:08AM

 

My students are different. Not from yours, but from the ones that came before them. They are desperate to connect everything together: disciplines, ideas, home and school. They need a way of bridging the gaps that many adults artificially create. We must help them to connect. I don’t have any five point plans in this podcast, but I do have a good example from a student about tormenting substitute teachers. Have a listen. I am looking for a new image to help explain this phenomenon of connection as a reaction to the increasingly splintered world that they experience. If you have any grand ideas about this, please drop me a line at benjamin.wilkoff@dcsdk12.org.

The Great Remix Debate

March 28, 2007 04:56AM

 

I give all of the credit for this podcast to my amazing students. They were the ones that kept a debate on intellectual property, remixing, and mash-ups going for nearly thirty minutes. They were the ones that came up with the amazing examples to support their points. They were also the ones to inspire many thoughts on creating rules for how we use content in the classroom. I am now convinced that each classroom of students should decide for themselves just what they want to be done with their content. Should teachers be able to use it for next year’s class? Should teachers remix their content into more polished work? We need to be asking the students to come up with what their own boundaries for intellectual property are, and we need to be teaching them where the boundaries are drawn already. I have decided to split this podcast up into about 40 chapters because that is how many different ideas were thrown around (mostly by different students). I have attached each student’s blog to the chapters in which they spoke. The one request I have is that you comment on this post and tell us which side won the debate. (Although, I’m sure my students wouldn’t mind if you commented on some of their blog posts either.)

Remixing The Classroom

March 31, 2007 09:36AM

 

One of my students came up with an amazing metaphor for how intellectual property should work in the classroom and in greater society. She described the idea that remixing should be like cake making. You buy all of the ingredients and then can prepare any kind of cake you like. Once you have the cake, however, you can’t un-remix it and get back to the sugar and flour. You can also borrow sugar from a neighbor, but generally you give them credit when you are serving your delicious cake. I hope that this podcast outlines such a metaphor a little bit better, but I think that this is the metaphor for creating connections that I was looking for a few podcasts back. If you like this podcast, I recommend the Great Remix Debate. You can also digg this podcast at http://digg.com/podcasts/Discourse_about_Discourse_Educasts_by_Ben_Wilkoff

The Embedded Classroom

April 04, 2007 09:09PM

 

The two wiki project that my students have started to work on have taught me that an open framework that allows for embedded materials is preferable to any all-in-one solution that tries to do too much at once. I also would like to apply this concept to my classroom in a concrete way. My students should be able to embed their knowledge and experience into the framework of the classroom. They should be allowed to use whatever service/method they can to prove that they have learned something. Show Notes and Links:

Beyond Rubrics

April 10, 2007 04:33AM

 

This podcast was created because of a discussion I had with my students about the merits of rubrics in a School 2.0 classroom. The data was mixed. Some students felt very comfortable with rubrics because it let them know how to get an A. Others believed that rubrics would hinder their creativity and ability to be authentic. Although I had asked students to help me create a rubric for an assignment, I had never asked them if they thought a rubric was a good idea at all. This podcast is a summary and a discussion of what I decided to do: Student-Centered Youbrics. Show Notes:

Creating the School 2.0 Movement

April 19, 2007 04:28AM

 

I have become dissatisfied with talking about School 2.0 only among educators. It seems to be this feedback loop that creates a lot of noise, but in the end, really doesn’t create any massive change. So, I am proposing a change in tactics. We need to begin talking to anyone who has the time to listen about School 2.0. We need to show them artifacts of authentic learning so that they know just how effective it can be. We need to get outside of the blogosphere and podcast communities, and talk to the parents that don’t get it yet. Although “consciousness raising” is important amongst teachers, it really should be our only tactic in bring about a transformation in education. Most of this is why I will be starting up another podcast over at The Podcast Network. I am looking for educators and non-educators alike to interview, anyone who is willing to think critically about the shared vision of student-centered education. Please contact me for details.

Visions of Change

April 24, 2007 06:10AM

 

Well, I guess it was bound to happen sometime, but I really didn’t expect it to happen this soon. We have received funding for our School 2.0 within a school idea, The Academy of Discovery. So, what do we do now? How do we continue to articulate the vision in the face of overwhelming support. Adversity I can handle, but what do we do now that everyone is behind us, just waiting to see how we can pull this off. It leaves me very excited to have the freedom of collaboration and experimentation within my community, but it also leaves me scared for blank page that we have been given to write on. I just hope all of our posturing and framing doesn’t signify nothing.
Show Notes:

The Would-Be School 2.0 Advocates

May 06, 2007 05:14AM

 

The podcast episode is based upon the idea that teachers will listen to someone who has a lot of experience teaching without technology and then stumbled upon the effectiveness and authenticity of technology and became an advocate for change. They will not listen to someone who grew up with technology, and for who it naturally comes to. They need “one of their own kind” to bring them on board with the School 2.0 movement.

I also decide that we need a School 2.0 plank in the 2008 presidential election. No matter who wins, I want our commander and chief constantly thinking about how technology can influence learning in public schools across the nation.

Show Notes:

What Happens Next Year?

May 12, 2007 05:41AM

 

I am very worried about what is going to happen to my students when they leave me at the end of this school year. Not because I think that they won’t be able to handle to rigors of high school life, but rather because I think that they won’t be able to handle going back to a traditional classroom. I wonder what the transition will be like when they know that collaborative tools exist, but they aren’t allowed to use them for school. Will they revolt? Will they create change? Or, will they just take it as another in a long string of disappointments from their learning institutions.

Digital Ex-Patriots and The Formula for Transparency

May 14, 2007 09:19PM

 

Well, I may be going out on a limb with this one, but I have described in the podcast a level of discomfort with technology that goes beyond the simple immigrant/native debate. The fear and panic that is associated with technology in the classroom comes from Digital Ex-Patriots. These people (parents, teachers, administrators, etc.) are so sure of their anti-technology stance that they are actively pursuing a life (of education) away from technology integration. These are the people that we must win over if we are going to continue our collaborative efforts and truly create change. Please let me know what you think about this concept in the comments or in an e-mail (benjamin.wilkoff@dcsdk12.org) Show Notes:

My Students Are Known For…

May 28, 2007 10:26PM

 

This is the first podcast that I have done on my new MacBook and I was used GarageBand rather than ChapterToolMe in order to create the chapters. I have, as of yet, not been able to find a way of exporting the chapters and links into html using GarageBand, so you will have to download the show in order to get the links. If anyone has a way of doing this, I would love to hear about it. As for the episode itself, I have been hoping for a very long time that my students are learning everything that I want them to. I want them to come back to me after years of amazing creation and show me just how much influence they have derived from my class. I do not expect to change each of my students, but I do believe that many of my students see value in the School 2.0 environment that we are trying to create. The three things that I want them to be known for and to come back and tell me all about are Authenticity, Analysis, and Passion. If they have those three things down, there is no telling what they can do. http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2006/08/did-you-know.html http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/httpwww.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/ http://discovery0607.wikispaces.com/The+Weekly+Authentic http://discovery0607.wikispaces.com/message/list/reflections http://headrush.typepad.com/ http://yongesonne.edublogs.org

Digital Sticky Notes

June 05, 2007 03:12AM

 

Feedback continues to be something that requires a lot of thought to do right. I want to provide my students with as much timely feedback as possible, but I don’t want to have to resort to the methods of printing out blog posts and putting paper sticky notes on them. In this podcast I explore the possibility of giving student feedback using web annotation tools. If anyone has any good ideas for tools like this (other than diigo) please e-mail them to benjamin.wilkoff@dcsdk12.org

  • 00:00:00: Intro to Feedback
    The Podcast Blog
  • 00:01:33: Feedback Methods
  • 00:02:56: Revision-based Writing
  • 00:06:03: Collaborative Tools for the Individual
  • 00:07:21: Virtual Stick Notes
  • 00:08:55: The Outsourcing of Grading
    Steve Hargadon’s Blog
  • 00:11:51: Looking for the Tool and Conclusion
    My Blog

The New Job Description

June 11, 2007 05:02AM

 

The more that I think about doing something “different” in my classroom, the more that I feel that process should be transparent. Not just for my students and their parents, but also for my administrators. Principals, Assistant Principals, and even Super-Intendants should be aware that there is change happening in the classroom. They should also want that change to occur, meaning that they should actively support it. But the only way that this is going to happen is if we start advocating for it. So, this podcast is all about how we should be writing our own job descriptions for the jobs that we dream about doing as teachers and presenting them to our administrators. I think that if we take this proactive approach, many will listen and start to think differently about what should be going on in the classroom. Show Notes:

The 1.0 to 2.0 Transformation

June 19, 2007 09:24PM

 

Well, there are two main elements to this podcast. 1. This is my first blog post/podcast about being named the 2006 Totally Wired Teacher by Edutopia and Yahoo Teachers. I am honored, but I hope that the one thing that comes out of flying to San Fransisco is that I meet as many would-be advocates for School 2.0 as I can. I really would love to be a larger instrument for change than merely by blogging and podcasting. 2. I am challenging everyone to come up with a description for Teacher/Classroom 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, and 2.0. I would really like to know what it should look like at all of these levels. What should we be striving for in our classrooms? What should a stranger be able to come in and observe?
Show Notes:

The Most Change For The Most Kids

June 27, 2007 12:30PM

 

It is with some hesitation that I post this podcast. I am a teacher, and I will always be a teacher. However, I have been given the opportunity to do more. I have been recruited (although not formally given the position) for a Technology Integration Position in a nearby school district. This podcast is all about coming to terms with the idea of leaving the classroom so that I might create change and achieve School 2.0 in a larger way. At this point, I am very much interested in following my passion for finding solutions, and if this job provides solutions for more teachers and more students and also for my family, I don’t know that I can do anything other than pursue it. I am, however, still looking for others who have either made this transition or who have rejected it in favor of the classroom. Please e-mail me at benwilkoff@gmail.com if you have any questions or ideas.

Show Notes:

The Social Networks of Tragedies

July 05, 2007 07:52PM

 

This podcast is pretty heavy:
I was in Osawatomie, KS for the 4th of July. It flooded earlier in the week, and my sister-in-law lost her car and her apartment due to this natural disaster. This event really got me thinking about how we can use the technology that our schools provide (especially in 1:1 programs) in order to create social networks for a community. I hope that we can start putting together ideas like Steve Hargadon’s Public Web Stations (link below) in non-crisis times. If you have any ideas about how to do this, please shoot me an e-mail at benwilkoff@gmail.com
I am also interested in knowing if you would rather I don’t include links and pictures with my podcast, but rather simply upload the mp3 file. If you have an opinion either way, please post a comment on this podcast.
Show Notes:

Why do I want to work here?

July 17, 2007 04:44PM

 

Well, this is the official podcast about my interview with Littleton Public Schools. Although I was passionate and had a great experience in the interview, I was not offered the job. That made my decision to leave the classroom much easier. I still think that this podcast is relevant to anyone else who is thinking about leaving the classroom. I also outline the idea that passion and vision are the two elements that will allow you to progress professionally and personally. I think that I will continue to explore these ideas in the classroom next year, and I am extatic that I will have one more year to impliment all of the ideas from this podcast into my practice.

Show Notes:

Totally Wired Acceptace Speech

July 24, 2007 09:08PM

 

Well, it has been a week or so since I got back from San Fransisco where I accepted the Totally Wired Teacher Award for 2007 from Edutopia and Yahoo for Teachers. This podcast has the introduction and my speech. I don’t think that it is particularly eloquent, but I do think that it goes right along with everything that I have worked for on this podcast. Let me know what you think.

I vs. We

July 31, 2007 08:09PM

 

I don’t know when it happened, but I have started using the word “we” in my podcast and blog when I would normally use the word “I.” I believe that it is due to my increased awareness and involvement of the community that I have surrounded myself with. I also think that many more of “us” should start using “we” when “we” write and speak. It makes me feel like I am a part of something, that “we” are going in a particular direction. I want “us” to be aware of how amazing “our” community can become, so long as we don’t fall into some of the pitfalls that I describe in the podcast. Let me know what you think of this idea at benwilkoff@gmail.com.
The image for this podcast is by http://flickr.com/photos/factoids/. I think it is amazing.

Choices, Choices…

September 13, 2007 01:32PM

 

This is the first podcast in over a month because I needed to upgrade for more storage space. It is not an enhanced podcast, but I’m sure it will be illuminating nonetheless. I was trying to figure out which content management system to use for The Academy of Discovery. I am still not sure if I picked the best one, but I am pretty confident that we are doing some great things. Check it out at http://academyofdiscovery.com.

Beginning the year, systematically.

September 13, 2007 01:59PM

 

This podcast is all about how I am starting my year. I would love to know how you are starting your year and how we can collaborate (share) any of the resources and systems that we have set up. Send me an e-mail at benwilkoff@gmail.com

Articulating Vision

September 13, 2007 02:10PM

 

I am now convinced that the only way to create widespread change within our schools is to articulate a singular vision for the future of education. I don’t know if I am the person to articulate that vision yet, but I am working toward it.

The Act of Creation

September 24, 2007 04:17AM

 

Sometimes we get so caught up in creating the system and the environment for learning that we forget about the most important element of that environment: creation. The singular act of creation is not something to be glazed over; it is the backbone of all that we do, and sometimes we need people to remind us of this.

A New Possibliity

October 26, 2007 09:04PM

 

This new possibility (which is now kind of old) is a total reversal of some of the things that I have consistently talked about and advocated for. This only comes about because of a great contact I have made with the principal of our online school (eDCSD). The possibility is this: Starting from a place of amazing technology and bringing in education rather than starting from a traditional school and trying to shove technology into it. What do you think about it

Two New Documents

October 26, 2007 09:17PM

 

I have been working on a couple new documents that make sense for the development of pedagogy and the future of education. You can find the links to them at the k12online conference: http://k12online.wm.edu/AuthenticLearning.pdf http://k12online.wm.edu/101Resources.pdf

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Learning 2.0: A Colorado Conversation

Dec 11, 2007   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   Uncategorized  //  No Comments

 This is what I have been working on with a few of the greatest educational technologists in the great state of Colorado (in my opinion only

You are invited to attend the Learning 2.0: A Colorado Conversation Conference.

What is Learning 2.0: A Colorado Conversation?

Learning 2.0: A Colorado Conversation, is a one day conference/meetup for teachers, administrators, students, school board members, parents and anyone who is interested in education. It will be held on Saturday, February 23rd, 2008, from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colorado, USA.

Education is conversation. Conversation creates change.

The future of education does not exist in the isolated world of theory and abstract conference sessions. Instead, it exists in conversations. It exists in creating a robust learning network that is ever-expanding and just-in-time. Learning 2.0 is not the beginning of this conversation. It is merely a stopping point, a time to talk about the visible difference that we all seek. We read. We reflect. We write. We share. We learn. Come join us for a day of conversation about learning and technology.

You can learn much more about the conference on the wiki, including information about registering. Here are some highlights:

Tentative Schedule
We’re still working on the details so this will be updated before the conference. Also, this may expand if we have more folks register than we are anticipating. (To quote Bud Hunt, “This conference stuff is hard!”)

Registration
You must register so that we know how many folks to expect and so that we can have enough lunches available. (Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?)

Cost

Free, baby. And lunch is included, thanks to the generous support of Littleton Public Schools, St. Vrain Valley Public Schools, and Arapahoe High School.

Wireless

BYOL (that would be Bring Your Own Laptop) – we’ll have wireless access to the Internet (filtered) – we may test our capacity to handle density of machines, but hopefully things will go swimmingly. If not, we have wired machines in various places you can access.

Questions for Students
We’re having a student panel discussion during lunch. Here’s your chance to submit some questions for them to consider.

Invite Others

We strongly encourage you to invite other folks from your school, district, neighborhood, or learning network to attend as well. It would be great if everyone could bring at least one person with them that is perhaps new to this conversation. Put up THIS POSTER everywhere you can (within reason).

Questions?

Feel free to email Karl Fisch, Bud Hunt, Ben Wilkoff or Mike Porter .

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Why should students come to class?

Nov 6, 2007   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   Uncategorized  //  50 Comments

If my students can do the majority of their work with writing and reading online…
If my students can receive all of their assignments online…
If my students can maintain constant contact with their friends, classmates, and teachers online…
If my students can create spaces to come together or work alone online…

What do should we do in the classroom?

One of the biggest takeaways that I have been formulating at the Virtual Schools Symposium is that the hybrid model is not fiction. When students have access outside of class hours (and this is not a given by any means), shouldn’t we be expecting that they be connecting and collaborating during this time?

The more that I work with my new 7th graders (the students who I have only known under the Academy of Discovery Model), the more I realize that productivity is something that comes from having the ability to work at your own pace and schedule. I keep seeing the majority of essays being written at home even though I feel the obligation to give them time in class. I keep seeing my students make more meaning out of the emails and instant messages outside the classroom.

My real question, I guess, is what activity is so well suited to face-to-face contact that it can’t be replicated online? Whatever the answer to that question is, is what I need to be doing in my classroom, every day.

Here are my thoughts on what can’t be replicated online, yet:

  • Debate – In its truest form, debate is a refined series of verbal arguments that require many people talking in rapid succession. Although you can do debate in an elluminate session, the passing of the mic is awkward at best and the visual separation of the competing sides is not possible.
  • Networking – It is why we still come to conferences. Finding great people that you want to work with and that will challenge you is something that is lacking in the online world. A social network does create a sense of community amongst many people, but it the bonds forged are not immediate. They take time and tending. In face-to-face communication, it is easy to see the worthwhile. It is easy to recognize excellence. That is what classroom time can be: the search and recognition for excellence (in writing, in math, in science, etc.)

What are the things that you think are so essential in the classroom that they can’t be outsourced to a virtual space? (Do they still exist? Will they always exist?) I really want to know.

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Mini-Edublogger Meetup at VSS2007

Nov 5, 2007   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   Uncategorized  //  5 Comments


I would like to propose a meet-up for anyone who is blogging, podcasting, or tagging at VSS2007. Please comment on this post if you would like to be a part of this. We could meet at a session or simply eat at the same table at lunch. I would love to know what other bloggers are seeing at their sessions.

I hope to see you soon.

VSS Blogroll so far:

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Evangelists for Learning

Nov 5, 2007   //   by Ben Wilkoff   //   Uncategorized  //  No Comments

Point #1:

“The people that complain are our best customers, not our worst.” -Jackie Huba

In the keynote for NACOL VSS 2007: Jackie Huba, an advertising consultant and blogger, is talking about creating learning evangelists. Her idea is that word of mouth is all powerful. The students and parents that complain about learning are the ones that may be the biggest evangelists. They are the ones that care enough to put forth ideas. They are the ones who want a better product. For every complaint from them, many more complaints exist (she says 26).

What does this mean for us as teachers on the cutting (sometimes bleeding) edge of education?

Well, I think that we need to be able to pay attention to our critics and frame our ideas in order to make them into evangelists (I would call them advocates). We need to be solving issues of content and access so that our students and parents see that we are listening.

If we are listening to our stakeholders, we need to do something about it. Pushing further and further out into the blogosphere and online learning without listening to what is working and what isn’t will never create the kinds of advocates that we need. So, my next question is: How do we listen well? How do we use what we hear to change, or possibly, keep doing something that is working.

Point #2

“Google Never Forgets.”

If you post something, write something, create something, google will remember. Bad press matters, as does bad research, bad marketing, and bad framing. I want to make sure that I don’t make any missteps with my identity. Is that possible?

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