dblake@NEA

Millennials will make online sharing in networks a lifelong habit

2010-07-29T19:28:54Z

Janna Quitney Anderson, Elon University Lee Rainie, Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project July 9, 2010 Tech experts generally believe that today’s tech‐savvy young people–the ‘digital natives’ who are known for enthusiastically embracing social networking – will retain their willingness to share personal information online even as they get older and take on more responsibilities. Experts surveyed say that the advantages Millennials see in personal disclosure will outweigh their concerns about their privacy. [View Report]

2010 State Education Editors

2010-06-26T14:47:16Z

Advanced Facebook This breakout will explore Facebook applications we’re all using to enhance our campaign fan pages, including FBML (Facebook Markup Language) and polls. Debate what works and what doesn’t when you need to launch and manage a campaign via social networking. [Download Presentation]

Let's Facebook it, you're addicted: FA?

2010-04-27T20:10:29Z

Before or during your morning coffee do you feel an overwhelming urge to check/update your page? How about on your way to bed? The latest Retrevo Gadgetology study asked social media users questions such as when, where, and how much time they spend on sites and services like FaceBook and Twitter. When asked whether they check their Facebook and/or Twitter accounts during the night or as soon as they wake up, 48% said "YES."

2010 Western Region Membership Summit

2010-04-13T21:43:14Z

Met with over twenty state leaders and staff to discuss social media and its value to association membership organizing. [Download Presentation]

Mirror, Mirror in the Workplace...

2010-04-07T18:55:10Z

According to a recent joint study from San Diego State University (SDSU) and the University of South Alabama, a generation of Americans are entering the workforce with an unfounded sense of entitlement. The study, led by SDSU psychologist Jean Twenge, sought to settle a hot debate in psychology over mixed results of studies examining the prevalence of narcissistic personality traits among tens of thousands of American college students. [Continue Reading ...]

Nonprofits Putting Best Facebook Forward

2010-04-07T18:47:12Z

Can we regulate what employees say on Facebook? The answer is "sometimes" and "maybe." On social networking sites such as Facebook the line between work and non-work use can be fuzzy. What seems like harmless, fun gossip on a personal level can be damaging to the organization whose employee has posted. [Continue Reading...] Also read: Sample Nonprofit Policy on Social Networking

Young Workers Suffer Disproportionately in Downturned Economy

2010-02-01T00:51:30Z

Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer, AFL-CIO writes that "in the past 10 years, young workers have suffered disproportionately from the downturn in the economy:

One in three young workers is worried about being able to find a job--let alone a full-time job with benefits.
Only 31 percent make enough money to cover their bills and put some aside--that is 22 percentage points worse than it was 10 years ago.
Nearly half worry about having more debt than they can handle. One in three still lives at home with parents.
Young workers are living the effects of a 30-year campaign to create a low-wage workforce. It has succeeded.
For decades, the far right led an anti-government, anti-investment, feed-the-rich-and-starve-the-poor drive that gave us an era of deregulation, privatization and job exporting."

[The Huffington Post; December 2009]

Tell me your age and I'll tell you your social network

2010-01-13T17:44:11Z

If you're reading this blog post, chances are you're a social networker. According to a Anderson Analytics study published last summer, social networkers utilize popular Websites such as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn in different ways depending on their age. My generation, Generation X, 30-to-44-year-olds, and baby boomers, 44-to-65-year-olds, connected on LinkedIn more than any demographic. Check out eMarketer's story for more information.

Media is now more about creating an environment for creating and convening groups

2010-01-08T04:51:05Z

Social Networking and Reputational Risk in the Workplace

2009-12-14T21:19:11Z

2009 Deloitte LLP Ethics & Workplace Survey (Published Thursday, May 28, 2009) [online@ Deloitte Web site In 2007 Sharon Allen, Deloitte LLP’s chairman of the board, commissioned the first annual Ethics & Workplace Survey. The inaugural study looked at the relationship between career-life fit and ethical behavior at work. In 2008, the research focused on how leadership transparency translates into a more productive and ethical workforce. This year, the study addresses the reputational risk associated with the increased use of social networking. [Download Survey]

The Northern Tier: Presentation & Related Content

2009-12-11T17:10:19Z

Photo Credit: Ron Sniffin, WY Met this past week with over 60 folks from NEA's Northern Tier group to discuss attitudes about social networking. Among the largest barriers to adoption of social media practices at the association level are time and lack of knowledge of social media tools--"assuming I know how to use these tools and I agree that they have the potential to be effective, explain to me how they'll save me time ..." You can download the following training documents: [Presentation] [K-12 Attitudes Survey] (A Survey of K-12 Educators on Social Networking and Content-Sharing Tools)

Going Viral: Samsung Makes You Say "Huh?"

2009-12-08T19:06:02Z

Advertiser: Samsung Ad Agency: Viral Factory Why it works: One cunning way to get people talking about and sharing your video is to make them wonder how you shot it in the first place. Samsung went to great lengths to protect the “trick” in the video for their new HD camera phone, which got tech geeks riled up to try solving the puzzle. Geeks happen to be the audience most likely to buy the HD new camera phone, which is why this video makes our Top 10. Here's the solution:

Augmented Reality a Reality

2009-11-28T15:34:53Z

How Web 2.0 has changed the face of education

2009-11-13T17:49:13Z

[online @ NCC] A campaign called Next Generation Learning was launched this year by Becta to promote the effective use of technology in schools, colleges and other learning environments. Tony Richardson explains how Web 2.0 has the potential to revolutionise technology in learning.]]> How can social networking support learning? The term Web 2.0 was coined in 2004 to describe a shift towards new ways of using the web as a platform for tools and services that have an emphasis on user participation and interaction. Now the use of social networking sites, blogs, wikis, social bookmarking and media sharing have become widespread. The existence of such online applications and services as Facebook and YouTube are well known amongst teachers, who are often users of this technology themselves in their private lives, but may not recognise the educational potential for their students. A recent report, produced by Childnet International and sponsored by Becta, looks at how social networking can support learning in schools and colleges, with students using sites to collaborate on homework projects or discuss lessons. It also considers how social networking services can help teachers to become more innovative in their curriculum approaches. Becta has also recently published the first two of a series of reports on the impact of Web 2.0 on education in Key Stage 3 and 4, which it commissioned from Nottingham University, in conjunction with London Knowledge Lab and Manchester Metropolitan University. While appropriating Web 2.0 ideas into education seems to have much appeal, we need research into the benefits of doing so, the extent to which this is already happening and the barriers and issues to implementation, such as concerns around e-safety. The research will help inform both Becta's own policies and those of policymakers, schools and local authorities. The research has found that 74 per cent of children in Key Stage 3 and 4 are already using social networking sites and 78 per cent have uploaded content, such as photos. A minority of children also use it in more sophisticated ways, for instance for uploading videos, blogs or podcasts. However, use of these tools is not very widespread in schools and colleges yet and, where it is, this use is in an experimental stage. Some schools are beginning to build these tools into their Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) platforms. For instance, at Balsall Common Primary School in Coventry, monthly podcasts are uploaded onto the school website. Current thinking The affordances of Web 2.0 seem to fit with many current policy initiatives and modern thinking about educational practice. These include:

Offering new opportunities for learners to take more control of their learning and access their own customised information and resources;
Encouraging pupils to have a greater creative input into how they present their work;
Allowing more collaborative ways of working, with community creation, dialogue and knowledge sharing;
Giving pupils the opportunity to showcase their achievements to an authentic audience, often using non-traditional media such as video.

Becta's research shows several other examples of learners benefiting from the use of Web 2.0 approaches. For example, online discussion and blogs can help motivate and engage learners. At Clunbury School in Shropshire, children love the fact that they can post their work onto the school blog, where it has the potential to be viewed and commented on by a very wide audience. Teachers have reported that students who usually remain quiet in class have become active contributors. Dialogue and discussion often continues outside of the classroom, with learners engaging in discussion from home, extending their learning and exploring topics in more depth. Teachers have commented that the quality of these online debates is often much higher than that in class. This kind of social learning is also reflected in increased peer assessment with learners commenting and giving feedback on each other's work online. The ability to share work with an authentic audience online is also very powerful. Tools that support personal enquiry and the creation and distribution of content have enabled teachers to support learners in the development of new literacies. Barriers that some learners encounter in schools and colleges are broken down, with previously sidelined pupils becoming engaged and excelling at learning. Teachers are able to give learners more open ended and collaborative tasks to research and present in the medium of their choice, encouraging autonomy and independent learning. Potential hurdles Of course, there are many hurdles that still need to be overcome. Although pupils are likely to use Web 2.0, they may not necessarily have the deeper skills and knowledge to make the most of the different tools and information on the web. There is a clear role for teachers to introduce the range of tools and services available, but also to help learners develop the critical thinking and digital literacy skills needed to take advantage of their potential for independent learning. With the appropriate advice, support and training, teachers will feel more confident to embed these tools within the curriculum. Some teachers are also sharing and discussing their innovative uses of Web 2.0 tools and teaching ideas with their colleagues. Potential issues around the use of Web 2.0 in schools include concerns about e-safety and child protection. These need to be taken seriously, but often result in Web 2.0 sites being blocked. While this may be appropriate in some circumstances, it is important to educate children about safe internet use, and make them aware of the risks, so that their approach to using the internet is safe outside school as well. Some schools have implemented Web 2.0 tools inside a 'walled garden' which allows greater control and accountability. Teachers can also negotiate which sites are allowed for use in learning. Although the issue of bullying is a general one that can be dealt with by appropriate policies, the speed and reach of the internet can change its scale. Teachers need to be vigilant to make sure that they pick up early signs of cyber-bullying. It is also important that online postings are moderated. Other concerns include the potential for some online tools to be a distraction to learners in class. This is largely an issue of classroom management and is not specific to Web 2.0. There are some technical and management issues to consider around the use of free services that may not offer the reliability, control, security and resilience needed for certain tasks such as storing personal data or coursework, which are better suited to learning platforms. The two-way nature of Web 2.0, which includes uploading and sharing content as well as downloading material, may also increase network traffic, especially when using externally hosted services. Technology as a key ingredient in learning Technology is increasingly becoming a key ingredient in education both at home and school, offering learners more choice and flexibility in how and where they learn. It is important for every educational institution to harness technology's potential, and for every teacher and student to use it confidently. This is the aim of the recently updated Harnessing Technology strategy, which places particular emphasis on achieving this through engagement with learners and parents, and the professional development of teachers and trainers. Becta is now tasked with leading and working with education and skills providers, the Government and national partners to ensure this ambitious strategy is delivered by 2014. Web 2.0 can exploit the internet's educational potential for social learning and teaching, as well as informal learning, and bring in an increased emphasis on autonomy, interactivity, creativity and collaboration. However, using Web 2.0 for learning is more about particular methods and approaches to teaching than introducing a new set of technologies and tools. Although the term Web 2.0 suggests that it is something futuristic, it is actually the web as we know it today. We need to explore the potential of using these new technologies, or there is a risk that ICT in schools and further education becomes irrelevant and far removed from the way young people use technology elsewhere. However, this is not about technology for technology's sake and we need to use technology when it is effective and appropriate to do so. As with most new technology, successful implementation relies on effective leadership, reliable infrastructure and support, and the space and time to allow teachers to innovate and embed technology into their everyday practice. The author Tony Richardson is executive director for Strategy & Policy at Becta. (ITadviser, Issue 55, Autumn 2008)

October Gateway to 21st Century Skills Update

2009-10-21T20:08:06Z

New Gateway site launch complete! The Gateway has introduced a brand new look and feel, new technologies to keep you up to date and new features based on the things our members have told us are important to them. We have focused on the things educators want and what we do best: providing quick and easy choices of “just the right” learning resources for your particular needs. We have made it easier than ever to share what you have found and to add value to the information by making your own thoughts or suggested ways of using a resource known to others. ]]> brucew@jesandco.org. What’s New? We keep fresh lesson ideas and timely topics coming to you so you don’t have to search all over the Internet. The Gateway provides unique lessons that incorporate technology while addressing timely topics, unique perspectives and great diversity. A 21st century education requires not only historical context but a reflection of the rapidly changing world around us. That’s why the Gateway to 21st century skills is such a valuable asset for educators. Engage your students like never before with free lessons like this sample from recently cataloged items. Defining Literacy in a Digital World The texts that students interact with have rapidly expanded from the days when the only definition of a text was a print-based book or magazine. While students interact with a range of print, visual, and sound texts, they do not always recognize that these many documents are texts. By creating an inventory of personal texts, students begin to consciously recognize the many literacy demands in contemporary society. With this start, they create a working definition of literacy that they refine and explore as they continue their investigation of the texts that they interact with at home, at school, and in other settings. In this lesson, students will simulate the stock market as a class in order to learn more about how different events, including regulation from the Federal Reserve, can impact the stock market. Building Classroom Community through the Exploration of Acrostic Poetry This lesson explores the genre of acrostic poetry and reinforces positive community practices in the classroom. After looking at various acrostic poetry websites, students participate in a shared writing experience. Students then write an acrostic poem about one of their peers using online resources such as thesauri and an interactive writing tool. Bridging Literature and Mathematics by Visualizing Mathematical Concepts By bridging children’s literature and mathematics, this lesson builds students’ reading, writing, mathematical and scientific proficiency. During interactive read-aloud sessions, students identify and analyze elements of author’s craft in conveying mathematical information about the size and abilities of a wide range of animals. Then, by studying and following the examples in the books, students conduct a research project of their own, focusing on the same mathematical concepts. Copyright Infringement or Not? The Debate over Downloading Music Students discuss their own experiences and conduct further research on the controversial topic of sharing music and other audio content on the Internet. Based on their research, students take a stand on the controversy and develop persuasive arguments on their position that they present in a class debate on the subject of downloading. Cosmic Oranges: Observation and Inquiry through Descriptive Writing and Art This lesson employs scientific observation, descriptive writing, sketching, reading, investigation, and poetry writing to train students to use their senses and focus their attention. The lesson is designed to enhance cognitive skills used in nearly every discipline and can serve as a prelude to an inquiry project, scientific investigation, art project, or descriptive writing assignment. When students truly learn to see, they are on the path to becoming more engaged, curious, reflective thinkers. Developing Searching, Skimming, and Scanning Skills with Internet Bingo Students gain the media literacy skills of skimming and scanning text and selecting key terms for Internet searches. The teacher introduces these strategies using a think-aloud approach, and students practice them by searching a website to fill in a Bingo board. Draw a Math Story: From the Concrete to the Symbolic This activity begins with the reading aloud of several math-oriented stories, identifies key mathematical vocabulary terms, models math story writing, and then gives students an opportunity to write addition and subtraction stories. Students first draw a series of pictures which depict adding more or taking away objects; they then write a correlating story to go with the pictures they’ve drawn. Finally, students share their stories aloud, and equations are written which symbolize the adding and subtracting written into the stories. Comparing Electronic and Print Texts about the Civil War Soldier What is the best way for students to find the information they need when completing research? Is there a difference between looking for information in print and online texts? This lesson has students explore the answers to these questions by responding to statements about the Civil War soldier’s daily life, searching a website to confirm or refute these statements, and comparing the site's organization to that of a print text. Students then read a print article and compare the information it contains to that found on the website. Finally, they develop a chart of content and text structure similarities and differences between electronic and print texts. Although this lesson uses the Civil War solider as an example, it can be adapted for use with any research or content area topic. Decoding The Matrix: Exploring Dystopian Characteristics through Film This lesson uses film clips from The Matrix and other dystopian movies to introduce students to the characteristics found in dystopian works, such as Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, and 1984. NEA has partnered with the GEM Exchange, Gateway to Educational Materials, and JES & Co to support Gateway to 21st Century Skills, a website that combines state-of the art search technologies and a complete database of state academic standards for core subjects. Did You Know? Tuesday and Wednesday were the busiest days for the Gateway in the month of September and 80.8 % added the Gateway to their browser Favorites or Bookmarks! Over 42% of visits came from people who have already bookmarked the Gateway to 21st Century Skills. Meet your fellow educators. Here are some recent additions to our roster of Gateway members. Anyone you know? A.C. - NC I am a literacy specialist working with struggling readers. I am looking for interesting ways to bring hard to reach kids into the exciting world of reading. L.S. – OH I am a graduate student in Ohio State's Master of Education in Middle Childhood Education program. I am currently student teaching in an urban fourth grade classroom. S.J. – MS I am an instructor of computer applications & theory at Meridian Community College. I have a B.S. AND M.S. and have been teaching here for 7 years; before that I was a technology trainer for EMCED - MSU, Meridian, MS. P.T. – FL I am getting back into teaching after leaving to work in my industry (environmental sciences) 15 years ago. My desire is to teach high school biology online. I recently had my Florida teaching certificate re-instated and am ready to explore teaching and learning with the exciting technological advances since I left! My background is BS Biology and MEd science education. I have been adults teaching in my industry (stormwater pollution prevention and erosion and sediment control concepts and best management practices) but long for the fun and creativity of discovery and critical thinking with younger students. K.G. - Ohio I received my doctorate in genetics from Ohio State University in 1980. After 20 years in private sector research and development I returned to teaching in 2000. I get great enjoyment in stimulating interest and excitement about science among adolescents and teenagers. I currently teach middle school science at St. Matthew Parish School in Akron, Ohio. I hold a current teaching license from the Ohio Department of Education with certification in biology. I also have a special interest in technology integration into curriculum objectives and am a founding partner of AALM Instructional Technology Associates, Inc., an Akron, Ohio based curriculum technology consulting firm. J.M. - Texas I teach International students at the college level. I currently am teaching reading, writing, and speech (communications). D.H. - Maine I am grad student at the U. Maine for Technology. My goal is to be able to teach middle and high schools students’ math and technology. M.L. – VA I started teaching middle school math on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. After four years I moved to Worcester County, Maryland and taught middle school math and Algebra I for another five years before finally moving back to my hometown to take a state job in correctional education. I now teach a variety of subjects to a variety of age groups and ability levels. My current position has been the most rewarding for me personally but also the most stressful. R.K. – WA 20+ years as teacher and drama specialist. Teach elementary school (have taught all grade levels) and University (Theatre, Education, and Humanities). Drum Major award from the Martin Luther King Commission for service to the community. Outstanding Teacher award from community. Teacher Feature award from KSL and community. Presenter locally and nationally; Drama in the classroom and Drama as a teaching tool. T.H. – NH I am a veteran teacher of over thirty years. I am currently the Program Director and teacher at Bryant Academy, a middle school for LD and OHI students. We also accept students who have no disability but wish to have an alternative approach to education. Students are encouraged to work independently receiving guidance and 1:1 instruction when needed. Independent, self-thinkers, creative workers are what we work at developing. We have been fortunate to be successful. A.W. – KY I am a second year EBD teacher in Shelby County, Kentucky. I work with middle school aged students in a 6-8 setting. I have my bachelors degree in sociology from the University of Kentucky and was alternatively certified in special education P-12 at Georgetown College earning my masters degree. I am recently married to the man of my dreams after dating for five years. God has blessed me with an intelligent, talented, creative and caring son who turns 15 in January. We live in Paris, KY. B.C. -MD I am the Interim Director of the Faculty Development Center at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). S.O. - IN I am an eighth grade science teacher at Marshall Intermediate Center. I just finished my first year of teaching. Surprisingly, I enjoyed teaching middle school. I am licensed to teach Biology at the high school level, which was my initial goal. However, I came to enjoy middle school science. T. - NY A native of Rochester, NY, I am a recent graduate in Biomedical Engineering ('09) at the University of Rochester. I specialized in Signals and Imaging. Currently I am working for the David T. Kearns Center's Upward Bound Program at the University of Rochester. I am teaching electrical circuits and MATLAB to high school students this summer in my "Intro to Engineering Course". I am planning to go to graduate school to attain a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. M.S. - TN I graduated from Cumberland College with an Associate of Arts, Carson-Newman-College with a Bachelor of Arts, and the University of Tennessee with a Master of Arts in English. I currently teach English I and English III at Oliver Springs High School in Oliver Springs Tennessee. I am always looking for new ideas to use in my classroom. We want to hear from you! What would you like to see added to the Gateway? What improvements would you like to see? Send your suggestions, thoughts and observations on how we can make the Gateway to 21st Century Skills a more valuable tool for you, your students and your fellow teachers. Contact Bruce Walker at brucew@jesandco.org. You can share those observations with your peers or make comments that are only for your use. It’s like your own personal Gateway to over 50,000 quality learning resources. Are Your Members Using the Gateway? The Gateway to 21st Century Skills receives thousands of visits a month from dedicated educators all over the world. The community is developing into a diverse and interesting group with tremendous talent to share! Come and join us as we pioneer the way to the vision of a 21st century education. Become a member and network with other educators. Use the information from the Gateway learning resources in other Web 2.0 friendly applications, your portfolio, store it on your calendar for easy planning or share it with your student, parents and administrator. The Gateway is here to help you easily meet your needs and make your teaching day easier! If your NEA state affiliate website doesn’t link to the Gateway to 21st Century Skills as a resource on your state website, they are surely missing the 21st Century. Tell them you need resources and a link to the Gateway! In terms of a teaching tool, it is one of the greatest benefits that NEA has ever made available to its members. Iowa and Georgia are the newest additions to our growing list of states and organizations that display their logos on customized versions of the Gateway! Both of these new states and Connecticut Retired Education Association, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Wyoming, Wyoming Student Education Association, Hawaii, Maryland, Colorado, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Washington, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, South Dakota and Tennessee and have all created versions of the Gateway that displays the state affiliate logos. And now, not only will your affiliate members be greeted with a view of your logo but anyone who declares that they hail from your branded state will also see that affiliate’s logo. This will underscore your local commitment to provide the members of the profession with the tools and resources they need to succeed in driving improvements to student achievement. Next month… Did you know that in addition to the website called The Gateway to 21st Century Skills, which is kindly sponsored by the National Education Association, the JES & Co. technical team includes scientists that keep the underlying and very important technologies forward thinking? Next month we will begin to discuss what this means to the Gateway library records and it’s users.