Monday, December 10, 2007

TIES 2007Opening Session Notes


Dr. Kurt Steinhaus, Ph. D. - Keynote Speaker
session wiki

School administrators

...a lone amateur built the ark while a group of professionals built the Titanic.

Take Action On:
1. 21st Century Skills
2. Robust Support Systems - needs to be "just in time"
3. Innovative Teaching and Learning

What is T time?
from STEM to STTTETMT
T-Using technology as an essential part of learning science, engineering, mathematics...

Music educators in Minnesota have put more on YouTube than anyone else

1:1 program - Oakland Jr High
"If our curriculum continues to be about information, our kids don't need us. If it's about personal development, they need us desperately." -Milt Dougherty

Spoke with a teacher at Stillwater High School who said he was not a tech guy and that he only uses technology to teach Science but when he visited his class he noticed he had 3 computers running with motion detection field cameras.....

Even poor schools in MN are using technology to connect to the world.

Talked about New Country School. I personally wish there were more schools like this in MN. I like the idea of teachers in private practice who act as learning coaches and let the students mainly guide their own learning through a technology enriched environment.

See about our science teachers visiting Mahtomedi High School to watch Scot Hovan teach AP Physics. He is doing great things with the SMARTboard.

What are PenPalls?

Overall Trends in MN Schools:
1. Relentless Intense PAssion
2. Support System
a. Technical
b. Teaching and LEarning
3. More Schoolwide Integration

Moving from:
-a distributed model to a participatory model (purchase licens to "free" open source)
-Application-based to Web-based, mLearning
-Isolated & Offline to Colalborative & Online
-Copywrited Content to Shared Content
-Submitting Reports to Blogs and Web Publishing

Strategies for Moving forward:-identify decision makers
-locate those who have had success convincing decision makers
-are there potential champions? (is there a school board member who has a lot of influence?)
-Who is connected to the potential champion?
-Start small
It is important to note that this speaker has a political background. It makes sense that he speaks about change as a political action.

Where are we? Formulate a vision or goal. Meet stakeholders where they are and use "bag of tricks" toward achieving the vision.

Stresses the importance of giving praise to those who you are trying to influence.

Seek first to understand - triangulate your data, look at history

It is important to have stories and data.

Pick a name.

Communication tools:

One-pager - "Your Best Friend"
1. name
2. Compelling Vision
3. Brief Overview or History
4. Rational
5. Funding Request - recurring - non-recurring
6. Research Base - Put on the back of the "One-Pager"

Elevator Pitch - "2nd Best Friend"
1. Once clear message
2. Be passionate and concise

Letters to the editor can be powerful

Educational Technology Act - In New Mexico - MN Doesn't have one
-Recurring $
-Equipment and Connectivity
-Professional Development
-Educational and Administrative

When big things get done in the Gov. office it is usually one person

We scored badly on our capacity to use technology.

Technology Deficiencies Act In New Mexico
-Vision of Equity
-ISTE Nets
-Based Upon Clear Standards
-5-year Phase-in

Students have incredible power in grabbing attention when preseniting to adult decision makers and stakeholders.

"It doesn't matter who gets credit as long as you acheive your objective."

Had success in convincing Bill Richardson that technology is important by giving him tools that he found usefull.

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