I would be interested to see how the Legislatures, Industry and Federal and state agencies use this information. I am also interested on how we will follow up the RED moodle experience.
I was also wondering if this project had been shared with our legilators and I'm kind of surprised it has not appeared on media outlets. Maybe it has, but I didn't recognize it. There are probably some great opportunities for educators to partner with technology experts and develop software that will facilitate the change in an educationally sound and rational way.
I believe that media attention would drive the discussion in the right direction. Legislators are particularly responsive to the media. Perhaps more so than reading a document.
I hope we have a public relations department that can get the word out about our sucesses. With the current legislators our state has I wouldn't count on them picking up on this just because they have their ear to the ground, it is going to take some media attention to allert the pubic and the public is needed to move the law makers beyond their own interest. Now I probably need to get off of this soap box before the knock on the door.
I agree with wanting to know what school each person works at. Unlike Karen, I did not think of checking the e-mail addresses to find out.
Project Red and the Districts will have to do some pretty fancy dance steps to show the efficacy of these changes. We already got our foot in the media door at the beginning of the year but some newsworthy accomplishments will be in order. Privatization of public education is high on the list of the NeoCon agenda. The last thing they want to hear about is inexpensive and effective schools. They'll have to be kicked in the head before they listen. Oops. I hear strange clickings on my phone.
I would be interested to see how many schools in Arizona are 1:1 schools at any grade level. Once the majority of schools become 1:1 or head towards 1:1 classrooms I would hope that the legislature would get involved in funding netbooks for every child. We all know the difference the access to technology can make.
Amanda! You said the "F" word on the Internet!!! hahaha
With the economy as is, I think we'll be on our own for quite a while on this one. The current government cut funding providing a copy of the Black Stallion for each 4th grader this year...something tells me they didn't use the money to buy my kiddos a netbook. We will have to be inventive as a district/school/individual teachers to get what we need till the rest catch up.
Maybe not. They cut the Black Stallion program because it was a little out dated (it was a good program but just old). However, technology is cutting edge and exciting, so there is a chance that the government will help to provide for something more modern.
If Sunnyside did it, with a lot of work I am sure, other districts can do it too. The legislature should fund online sites Arizona could use in our classrooms.
This my first experience with Moodle itself. The interface is very similar to PD 360 and recent online classes taken from community colleges and universities. I know that the Moodle model will be used for more of our district PD but I miss the face-to-face comraderie of traditional inservicing. One of the best features of old-style SUSD PD is the development of relationships across the district.
Thank you so much for your comment, Lynn. I hope as a district we can keep the best of both worlds. The use of online PD is convenient and allows more people to receive the training. However, I'm with ou Lynn, there is something to be said for on site training where you get "face-to-face" time with the trainers and colleagues. Let us not forget, one of the foundation of Daggett's work is the importance of building relationships.
- Nicely stated…..We need to conscious of creating both opportunities for all learners: students, teachers, principals, support staff , parents and all other members of our learning community
I agree with you Lynn--building relationships across the district has been a strength in Sunnyside. I know that our teachers enjoy meeting and collaborating every week. Using PD 360 and Moodle would take away a bit of that. Perhaps, it could be an expectation that schools and teams do both.
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It would be nice to have a mixture of face to face, PD 360, and Moodle. It is just a way for us to be able to use all the resources that are available to us. It helps us to learn more about technology in the process.
I second that to some extent. I'd like to be able to go to one site and collaborate/share all of our awesome ideas in one place. I really like how the district created the Z drive for us to easily upload things to share.
Agreed! Any initiative that attempts to restrict all learning to one mode is doomed to failure, be it for kids or for adults. Learning from and sharing with peers is a powerful force for gaining knowledge. The RED project mentioned that kids, when surveyed, said they liked a mix of technology and face-to-face instruction - I think teachers would feel the same.
I am a fan of blending technology instruction myself. Face-to-face learning and e-learning have advantages and disadvantages. Building collegial relationships in person makes my learning personal and ...I like meeting people and talking to them. I learn so much from talking to my colleagues! Being able to moodle in my pj's, research terms and take as long as I wanted to answer a review question was AWESOME!
Disadvantages - my eyes hurt ;)
Jessica,
My thoughts exactly. I am totally feeling right now that I want to blend in technolgy instruction on my own. I would figure out my instruction with little by little increments and technology here and there.
I'm also for blending, and as you be able to tell by the lateness of this post, time to read and think about what everyone else has shared before I respond, as well as watch the NCAAs. GO CATS!
I would also like to see a little of both online PD but also face-to-face PD. Online PD is convenient but it's hard to replace what you can learn when you interact with people face-to-face.
In reply to Annette Lynn Finkelstein
Re: RED Target Audiences--Moodle followup
by Sharon Alexander -
I did not laugh once with Project RED. I have been know to smile and even laugh out loud during face to face training.
AMEN Sharon!!! I enjoy working and laughing out loud too with people, I didn't laugh once either while doing Project RED. If anything I was quite sad while moodling (is that a word?) because I was missing fun stuff like our SPRING BREAK! Thanks for making me smile at least once while moodling
I think I am tired of Moodling tonight. I wrote a comment about how I was using the discovery learning approach and had problems figuring out if I was posting, but I think I forgot to post that comment. Just as well. I think it would have worked better for me if I had a little more instruction before I began. I seem to have mixed up my profile and kept getting errors. Then when I tried to change my email address it said someone was already using it!
Great points Chris. I am also interested in what the follow up will be for the RED project after the Moodle forums are complete.
Perhaps we can have a Project Red reception so we can meet and get some face time.
I think that part of participating in this Project Red Seminar is getting us exposed to Moodle and its potential. I heard that Vail also uses Moodle and provided a bit of training and let their teachers run with it. I can see how teachers could use up a Moodle for their classroom for their students to hold online discussions, review and submit work, and be a place students can access resources. What is amazing to me is that Moodle is open source.
I agree. I know that I for one, feel more comfortable with Moodle after this experience. I am curious about the teacher end of things, but hopefully after a training and some time to practice that will change too.
One of the keys to the RED program is that it ostensibly saves money. It may be one of the reasons the cost savings was such a point of emphasis is the appeal this would hold for legislators. I would imagine the cost savings would appeal to our state although the start up costs would probably be disconcerting to them.
Do we just say that parents should just trust us or as stake holders do they need access to this information also?
Do we just say that parents should just trust us or as stake holders do they need access to this information also?
I am also interested in the differing perspectives of the federal and state agencies and what implications will be derived from this information. The point about "follow-up" action is an important one. I am sure that with the impetus of our input in this seminar, plans for next steps have already or are being discussed or decided on.This has been quite an experience. As we integrate both face -to -face and online experiences, we can better decide on what would be best for our students.
It would be very beneficial if our legislators could educate themselves about best practices and innovation in terms of the education system. They don't seem to want to invest however that leaves us in a unique place. One of doing it in spite of the lack of state support. However as they focus on agendas that may not be our own we have made a great start at the change and the teachers have been at the forefront of the progress made.
On a more district level...is there a team that will be looking over the forums and the questions that we ask? I hope so because it would be a shame for all these people to share ideas and collaborate and no one to gather the ideas and knowledge that we have all shared.
this is something that should be built into collaboration for all district personnel next year. stipend or not, everyone should read this and be involved in this information.
It is my hope that legislatures will identify the value in 1:1 computing, and move to promote it.
This is a very thought provoking study that seems to take education and give it a good shake. I think that it should be used for more professional development.
Legislators tend to use and shape data/information to support the case they are advocating. I'm certain our district will guide the release of information appropriately. The PR department does s good job of sharing our successes. Perhaps the question is..How will our district use this data/information?"
I can't help but wonder about the "three targeted audiences inside the Beltway" the report refers to -- yet doesn't name -- on p. 139. This is just kind of creepy! (Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain...) Are we talking "legislative, executive and judicial"? Are we talking political parties? Specific people? CEO's?
I also would like to see a blending of technology and old-fashioned face to face. Where will we go from here? I also would have liked for our school name to be next to our user names. I don't know why, but when I read an interesting post I often thought - I wonder what site they are at? One even prompted me to check on the email list as to what school was being discussed (in a good way!)
I have enjoyed this experience with moodle. I was able to interact with so many of you that I would have if we were all in one room going through PD. It was also nice that I was able to do all this work when my children were sleeping, and when I was relaxed at home!
Moodle is new to me. I've learned so much in the last week. I think that it would be fun and eductional to have the students participate in this type of forum. Is Moodle available to 5th graders? Anywhere? Any grade?
I have to admit that I enjoy the convenience of moodle. It has been very nice having the freedom to participate on my own time and at any time of the day or night. I also like being able to think about my responses, do some research if needed, and gain insight from others with time to process their ideas.
Online collaboration is a great tool, but we do also need some face to face collaboration. Project RED was a great way to introduce Moodle. I was really able to get a grasp on how Moodle can be used in the classroom.
The public needs to know what we are doing with the computers and tech that is going into the schools. We need to start showing the people out there what is going on in the classrooms with the use of tech and how it is helping our students get ready for the new world.
I agree Anthony, we need to sho people what is going on in the classroom. Unfortunately, there has been some public backlash regarding our technology initiative and the way it has been publicized. If you go to the following link, you can see some of the comments that have been posted regarding this issue.
http://dynamic.azstarnet.com/comments/viewcomments.php?id=/news/local/education/precollegiate/article_ef41198e-4130-52d4-847d-254aea896ab4.html&h=Look up: It could be a Sunnyside ad
Click on the story tab to see the original story.
I agree Monica I too enjoyed the convenience of Moodle. It was nice to see what others were thinking and then respond. It also was nice to have the time to process the information that we were given to read.
I did miss some of the face to face discussions and activities that come with more traditional PD.
Somewhere in the perfect world there is a balance of both things going on. Time to laugh and time to think and respond
i agree with the comments shared regarding having the both of best worlds. The convenience of moodle and sharing of ideas plus the face to face relationship building that strengthens our connections with learning. Why not look at both; have the moodle assignment and conversation and then arrange for a further implementation of an idea, lesson, collaboration that involves face to face interaction and completion of a final product. This can be a very powerful tool as we increase our skills using technology.
In chapter 8, it states: "Blended learning (face-to-face traditional methods combined with digital and online resources) is shown to be the preferred method for student learning". We are no different, we want both.