Social Software, Social Software, Personalized Learning SystemsPersonalized Learning Systems

and YOUand YOU

Feb. 2007Feb. 2007

Terry Anderson, Ph.D.Terry Anderson, Ph.D.Canada Research Chair in Distance EducationCanada Research Chair in Distance Education

terrya@athabascau.caterrya@athabascau.ca

CongratulationsYou - as a contributing

lifelong learnerAre the

Person of the Year!

This Person of the yearThis Person of the yearWants to learn thingsWants to learn things

Continuously moves between on and Continuously moves between on and offlineoffline

Is learning to recognize and demand Is learning to recognize and demand quality when investing in learningquality when investing in learning

Knows there are many paths to learningKnows there are many paths to learning

Uses a wide set of information and Uses a wide set of information and communications toolscommunications tools

““The decline of the compliant learner’. P. Goodyear 2004The decline of the compliant learner’. P. Goodyear 2004

How do professional educators How do professional educators deal with these deal with these

“persons of the year”?“persons of the year”?

““We must look at today's radical changes We must look at today's radical changes in technology, not just as forecasters but in technology, not just as forecasters but as actors charged with designing and as actors charged with designing and bringing about a sustainable and bringing about a sustainable and acceptable world.”acceptable world.”– Herbert Simon, 1916-2001Herbert Simon, 1916-2001

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

Context and the NetContext and the Net

Affordances of the NetAffordances of the Net

The personal learning environmentThe personal learning environment– DefinitionsDefinitions– Implementation issuesImplementation issues– Athabasca examplesAthabasca examples

Your comments or questionsYour comments or questions

Importance of this issueImportance of this issue

Educational problems are not solved through Educational problems are not solved through evangelism, threats or technologies alone.evangelism, threats or technologies alone.

Change happens when teachers, administrators Change happens when teachers, administrators and learners make it happenand learners make it happen– Perceived benefits – PersonalPerceived benefits – Personal– Readiness - OrganizationalReadiness - Organizational– Pressure – Inter-organizationalPressure – Inter-organizational

Chwelos; Benbasat; Dexter, 2001)Chwelos; Benbasat; Dexter, 2001)

Each of us is an agent of changeEach of us is an agent of change

Maybe the Sky Really is Falling!Maybe the Sky Really is Falling!

The Net Creates The Net Creates – Great challenge and Great OpportunityGreat challenge and Great Opportunity

ValuesValues

We can (and must) continuously improve We can (and must) continuously improve the quality, effectiveness, appeal, cost and the quality, effectiveness, appeal, cost and time efficiency of the learning experience.time efficiency of the learning experience.Student control and freedom is integral to Student control and freedom is integral to 2121stst Century life-long education and Century life-long education and learning.learning.Education is an academic, individual and a Education is an academic, individual and a social experience – both on campus and social experience – both on campus and online.online.

The Ubiquitous Net ContextThe Ubiquitous Net Context

Context uniquely creates and constrains Context uniquely creates and constrains learninglearning

Context affords learning opportunitiesContext affords learning opportunities

Context and Content are created:Context and Content are created:– through interaction with others and, through interaction with others and, – through use and creation of artifactsthrough use and creation of artifacts

Canadian Connection to the NetCanadian Connection to the Net

67.9% of Canadians 67.9% of Canadians use the Net - use the Net - Computer Computer Industry Almanac (2005)Industry Almanac (2005)

85% access from 85% access from home home –

Canadian Internet ProjeCanadian Internet Project ct (2006)(2006)

Average 13.5 Average 13.5 hours/weekhours/week

76% Broadband76% Broadband

Israel (2004)Israel (2004)

Approximately 60 Approximately 60 percent households percent households have Internet access have Internet access out of which, 91 out of which, 91 percent have percent have broadband access.broadband access.

Affordances of the Educational Semantic Web Affordances of the Educational Semantic Web (Anderson & Whitelaw, 2004)(Anderson & Whitelaw, 2004)

Abundance of Content

High quality, Low cost Communication

Agent Assistance

Read/Write

Web 2.0

Filtering,Mashups,Updating

Automated

Facilitation

Net as OS

Connected

Learning

Affordance 1. Massive Amounts of ContentAffordance 1. Massive Amounts of Content

Any information, any Any information, any format, anytime, format, anytime, anywhereanywhere

Customizable contentCustomizable content

Interactive contentInteractive content

User created contentUser created content

Open content Open content resourcesresources

Wiki and Open CoursewareWiki and Open CoursewareImagine a world in which every single person is Imagine a world in which every single person is given free access to the sum of all human given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That's what we're doing. – knowledge. That's what we're doing. – – Terry Foote, WikipediaTerry Foote, Wikipedia

Content - conclusionContent - conclusion

Cheap or freeCheap or freeNeed to learn to share and re-useNeed to learn to share and re-useDon’t build your value on your contentDon’t build your value on your contentContent is necessary, but not sufficient, to create Content is necessary, but not sufficient, to create a quality educational experience for the persons a quality educational experience for the persons of the yearof the year"Centuries of specialist stress in pedagogy and "Centuries of specialist stress in pedagogy and in the arrangement of data now end with the in the arrangement of data now end with the instantaneous retrieval of information made instantaneous retrieval of information made possible by electricity." Marshall McLuhan 1964 possible by electricity." Marshall McLuhan 1964 p. 346p. 346

Affordance #2Affordance #2High Quality, Low Cost CommunicationHigh Quality, Low Cost Communication

Multi synchronousMulti synchronous– Synchronous, asynchSynchronous, asynch– Text, audio and videoText, audio and video– Stored, indexed and retrievableStored, indexed and retrievable

MobileMobileEmbeddedEmbeddedPervasivePervasiveLearner, teacher, community and Learner, teacher, community and publisher createdpublisher created

– “I learned more about Clive by reading his introduction tonight online than I did in our entire course together last summer”

Kerlin, R-A (1997)http://kerlins.net/bobbi/research/diss/

Each person operates a separate personal community network and switches rapidly among multiple sub-networks – WELLMAN, BOASE & CHEN 2002

Affordance 3Affordance 3AgentsAgents

Google AlertsGoogle Alerts

MeetingWizardMeetingWizard

RSSRSS

AthabascaAthabasca– Freudbot AIMLFreudbot AIML– E-AdvisorE-Advisor– Are you ready Are you ready

for AU? Agentsfor AU? Agents

These Affordances Stimulate These Affordances Stimulate Development of a Participatory CultureDevelopment of a Participatory Culture

relatively low barriers to artistic expression relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement, and civic engagement, strong support for creating and sharing one’s strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations, and creations, and members believe their contributions matter, members believe their contributions matter, and feel some degree of social connection and feel some degree of social connection with one another - at the least they care what with one another - at the least they care what other people think about what they have other people think about what they have created.created.– Henry Jenkins, Henry Jenkins, Media Education of 21. CenturyMedia Education of 21. Century

20062006

Creating Creating Incentive to Incentive to Sustain Sustain ContributionContribution

The New Yorker September 12, 2005

Pedagogical BasisPedagogical Basis

Connectivism – “Knowledge exists in the network” Connectivism – “Knowledge exists in the network” (Siemens, 2005)(Siemens, 2005)

Community of Inquiry Community of Inquiry Garrison & Anderson, 2003Garrison & Anderson, 2003

Integrated Virtual learning – pedagogy of nearness Integrated Virtual learning – pedagogy of nearness Mejias, 2005Mejias, 2005 The contributing student Collis 2005The contributing student Collis 2005Goodyear “Goodyear “Towards a Pattern Language for Networked Towards a Pattern Language for Networked

LearningLearning New Learning Environments John Seely Brown, 2006New Learning Environments John Seely Brown, 2006

Our educational discourse is largely stuck in a time warp, framed by issues and standards set decades before the widespread use of the personal computer, the Internet, and free trade agreements.”

Stewart and Kagan (2005)

Convergence between new Convergence between new learning and new technologylearning and new technology

New TechnologyNew Technology– PersonalPersonal– User centredUser centred– NetworkedNetworked

– UbiquitousUbiquitous– DurableDurable– AffordableAffordable

New LearningNew Learning– PersonalisedPersonalised– Learner centredLearner centred– Situated, MobileSituated, Mobile– Collaborative Collaborative – UbiquitousUbiquitous– LifelongLifelong– ExpensiveExpensive

Towards a Theory of Mobile LearningSharples, Taylor, Giasemi (2005)

Learning NetworksLearning Networks

Imagine a world where there are tens of Imagine a world where there are tens of thousands of online learning paths, thousands of online learning paths, communities, experiences and objects.communities, experiences and objects.Imagine that they can be aggregated to Imagine that they can be aggregated to demonstrate competence and accrue demonstrate competence and accrue accreditation.accreditation.How will learners find and connect to How will learners find and connect to particular paths?particular paths?Will Israeli universities thrive in this world?Will Israeli universities thrive in this world?

Who does the work when Who does the work when learning on the Net?learning on the Net?

Students used to dropping in and watching the teacher Students used to dropping in and watching the teacher perform. perform. Net learning demands and creates opportunity for Net learning demands and creates opportunity for engaged learnersengaged learnersNet instruction theory and practice must not: Net instruction theory and practice must not: – Increase teacher work loadIncrease teacher work load

Use and re-useUse and re-useDon’t over teach or over moderateDon’t over teach or over moderateUse agents and sophisticated toolsUse agents and sophisticated tools

– Make busy work for learnersMake busy work for learners

Net learning does not emerge naturally from traditional Net learning does not emerge naturally from traditional instructive approaches and experiences –it takes work, instructive approaches and experiences –it takes work, incentives and experimentation. incentives and experimentation.

We have to move learning out of an We have to move learning out of an education context into one that education context into one that stimulates, creates, rewards and stimulates, creates, rewards and evaluates learning anytime, evaluates learning anytime, anyplace, anywhere, for any reason.anyplace, anywhere, for any reason.

Are today’s education tools helping create lifelong learners?

Learning About

Learning To Be

Explicit Knowledge

Tacit Knowledge

Dimensions of Knowledge Michael Polanyi

John Seely Brown New Learning Environments for the 21st Century 2006

Lifelong learning demands a move from Lifelong learning demands a move from Institutional to Learner Centered Institutional to Learner Centered ParadigmsParadigms

The Personal Learning Environment (PLE) The Personal Learning Environment (PLE) SolutionSolution

Dallsgaard, 2006 http://www.eurodl.org/materials/contrib/2006/Christian_Dalsgaard.htmr

Getting the right mix

What is a PLE?What is a PLE?

““The logic of education systems should be The logic of education systems should be reversed so that the system conforms to reversed so that the system conforms to the learner, rather than the learner to the the learner, rather than the learner to the system.” system.” Futurelab 2006Futurelab 2006

What is a PLE ?What is a PLE ?

PLE is a concept, an idea, an ideal? PLE is a concept, an idea, an ideal?

A reaction to institutional Learning A reaction to institutional Learning Management Systems?Management Systems?

All the tools that you use to learn?All the tools that you use to learn?

Cool new name to drop at cocktail parties Cool new name to drop at cocktail parties demonstrating how ‘with it’ you are?demonstrating how ‘with it’ you are?

What is a PLE?What is a PLE?

A PLE is a web interface into the owners’ A PLE is a web interface into the owners’ digital environment.digital environment.– Content management integrating personal and Content management integrating personal and

professional interests (both formal and informal professional interests (both formal and informal learning), learning),

– a profiling system for making connectionsa profiling system for making connections– A collaborative and individual workspaceA collaborative and individual workspace– A multi formatted communications systemA multi formatted communications system– All connected via a series of syndicated and All connected via a series of syndicated and

distributed feeds. distributed feeds.

"The PLE is an approach not an "The PLE is an approach not an application." application." Stephen DownesStephen Downes

An approach that:An approach that:

– Values and builds upon learner inputValues and builds upon learner input– Protects and celebrates identityProtects and celebrates identity– Respects academic ownershipRespects academic ownership– Is Net-centricIs Net-centric– Supports multiple levels of socializing, Supports multiple levels of socializing,

administration and learning administration and learning – Supports communities of inquiry across and Supports communities of inquiry across and

within disciplines, programs, institutions and within disciplines, programs, institutions and individual learning contextsindividual learning contexts

Technologies used to create PLEsTechnologies used to create PLEs

Mobile computingMobile computing

WirelessWireless

High bandwidthHigh bandwidth

Cell phonesCell phones

Digital photography, video and audio recordingDigital photography, video and audio recording

Internet video, audio and conferencingInternet video, audio and conferencing

Low cost hardware - $100 laptopLow cost hardware - $100 laptop

PLEs are not LMSPLEs are not LMSLMS were designed, built for and operated by LMS were designed, built for and operated by institutions of formal learninginstitutions of formal learning– Designed to meet teacher needs Designed to meet teacher needs – Based on dissemination & push rather than a pull model Based on dissemination & push rather than a pull model

of educationof education– Contributions are owned by the institutionContributions are owned by the institution– Student is forced to learn a new system at each institutionStudent is forced to learn a new system at each institution– Course centric view of learningCourse centric view of learning– Hard to interoperate with competitive or OS productsHard to interoperate with competitive or OS products– Designed to protect intellectual property, not make it Designed to protect intellectual property, not make it

freely availablefreely available– Very poor record of innovationVery poor record of innovation

PLE- Learner Links their environment PLE- Learner Links their environment to that of education institutionto that of education institution

My hobbies

My calendar

My social Life

My school(s)

My files

My publicationsE-portfolios

My profile

My conversations(s)

My work

My identity

PLE ActivitiesPLE Activities

Making connectionsMaking connectionsSharing artifactsSharing artifactsApplying knowledge on and offlineApplying knowledge on and offlineSharing experiences and creating new Sharing experiences and creating new contextscontextsTeacher’s job is to help learner’s Teacher’s job is to help learner’s determine and satisfy their learning needsdetermine and satisfy their learning needsNeed to create and support environments Need to create and support environments from which learning emergesfrom which learning emerges

Learner Centred OLE.doc – Derek Wenmoth, March 2006

Early PLE Prototype productsEarly PLE Prototype products

Welcome to Flock, the safe, spyware free web browser that makes it easier to connect with your friends. With Flock it's a snap to upload, comment, and discover new pics. Read all the news you care about, in one place. Blog freely. Get search results as soon as you start typing in the search box, and much more.

PLEX - RSS Reader on steroids

Blogs and ProfilesWith RSS

BloggingConnections

Real TimePacing

Social Presence

ContentAdmin

Asynchronous Int.

DisseminationKnowledge Polling

Me2U.Athabascau.ca

Portal Products

Learning Objects

Elluminate Furl

Moodle

Technologies of AU’s MDE 663 Fall 2006

CMAP

An elgg instance http://elgg.net

Usefulness over 8 Educ FunctionsUsefulness over 8 Educ Functions

0 1 2 3 4 5

Email

Blogs

Moodle Discussion

RSS

Cmap

Web Conf

Profiles

BookMarks

Usefulness

N= 9 of 13

Advantages of LMS’sAdvantages of LMS’s

Advantages of LMSAdvantages of LMS– Purposefully designedPurposefully designed– MatureMature– Safe and SecureSafe and Secure– Ease of UseEase of Use– Centrally SupportedCentrally Supported

Advantages of PLEsAdvantages of PLEs

Identity Identity

Customizable and controlCustomizable and control

OwnershipOwnership

Social Presence Social Presence

Capacity and Speed of InnovationCapacity and Speed of Innovation

Open Connectivity (API, mashups, web Open Connectivity (API, mashups, web services) services)

See my blog posting at: Are PLE’s ready for prime time?

http://terrya.edublogs.org/

Some see PLE’s as just for Some see PLE’s as just for informal learninginformal learning

Learning is “a continuous, (largely) self-Learning is “a continuous, (largely) self-organized process of change” Sebastian Fiedler] organized process of change” Sebastian Fiedler] PLEs:PLEs:– provides learning systems for the vast majority of provides learning systems for the vast majority of

people who are not enrolled on formal learning people who are not enrolled on formal learning programmes. programmes.

– helping learners organize informal learning. helping learners organize informal learning. – allow people to form their own (transitory) networks allow people to form their own (transitory) networks

for learning. Learning is a social activity and takes for learning. Learning is a social activity and takes place in communities of interest and communities of place in communities of interest and communities of practice. (from Graham Attwell)practice. (from Graham Attwell)

Response to my blog posting Response to my blog posting Are PLE’s ready for Prime Time?Are PLE’s ready for Prime Time?Who are "we" in this case? We in the ed-biz or we human Who are "we" in this case? We in the ed-biz or we human inhabitants of the earth? I may be being hyper sensitive but all too inhabitants of the earth? I may be being hyper sensitive but all too often we in the ed-biz see it as our job to operationalize things for often we in the ed-biz see it as our job to operationalize things for them, the (demonic) other. them, the (demonic) other. Through this, Terry appears to be perpetuating the teacher/learner Through this, Terry appears to be perpetuating the teacher/learner divide. Too many discussions are about how can we do things for divide. Too many discussions are about how can we do things for you/them. you/them. Not until we realize that we are them and they are us - without Not until we realize that we are them and they are us - without abdicating responsibility for mentorship, inscription, facilitation and, abdicating responsibility for mentorship, inscription, facilitation and, indeed, teaching - can such ideas as PLEs be realized.indeed, teaching - can such ideas as PLEs be realized.

Seb Schmoller

http://my-world.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/01/personal_learni.html

Blogs vs Threaded DiscussionBlogs vs Threaded DiscussionCameron & Anderson, 2006Cameron & Anderson, 2006

Cognitive presenceCognitive presence– Context beyond the course allows for enhanced verification and Context beyond the course allows for enhanced verification and

applicationapplication– Harder to follow threads and quickly find new contributionsHarder to follow threads and quickly find new contributions

Social PresenceSocial Presence– Increased depth from chronological backgroundIncreased depth from chronological background– Openness may inhibit self-disclosure, humourOpenness may inhibit self-disclosure, humour

Teaching PresenceTeaching Presence– Poor navigation and tracking Poor navigation and tracking – Difficult to follow conversationsDifficult to follow conversations– Harder to assessHarder to assess– Little institutional supportLittle institutional support

Formal education paradox?Formal education paradox?

Many PLE applications today are:Many PLE applications today are:– challenging to learn how to use, challenging to learn how to use, – unstable and unsupportedunstable and unsupported– not as administratively effective for either not as administratively effective for either

students or faculty as LMS substitutes.students or faculty as LMS substitutes.– Why bother with their use????Why bother with their use????

Institutions are moving to PLEs Institutions are moving to PLEs

From computer owners (Labs)From computer owners (Labs)

To ISPs (email and web space)To ISPs (email and web space)

To online architecture (LMS) and portalsTo online architecture (LMS) and portals

To web services, open standard and To web services, open standard and access applications, accessible through access applications, accessible through many, learner owned interfacesmany, learner owned interfaces

From PLE Reference Model Presentation by Colin Milligan/George Siemens

A PLE Roadmap

PLE response to needs of a PLE response to needs of a Complex Adaptive systemComplex Adaptive system

““A complex system, when A complex system, when disturbed or threatened disturbed or threatened by some change in its by some change in its environment, can be environment, can be lured by attractors and lured by attractors and feedback modifiers out of feedback modifiers out of a sense of equilibrium a sense of equilibrium towards the edge of towards the edge of chaos” chaos” (p.125 Pascale et al.,2000)(p.125 Pascale et al.,2000)

Qualities of complex Qualities of complex adaptive systems:adaptive systems:– Emergent behaviourEmergent behaviour– UnpredictabilityUnpredictability– Amplification and Amplification and

dampening feedback loopsdampening feedback loops– Complex relationships Complex relationships

content, actors (learners content, actors (learners and teachers), machinesand teachers), machines

– ‘‘edge of chaos’ sweet spot edge of chaos’ sweet spot “zone of high creativity, “zone of high creativity, innovation, and breaking innovation, and breaking with the past to create new with the past to create new modes of operating”modes of operating” (Zimmerman, 2001)(Zimmerman, 2001)

PLE’s on the Edge of ChaosPLE’s on the Edge of Chaos

““living systems thrive only when living systems thrive only when pushed away from their comfort pushed away from their comfort zone, the area in which they zone, the area in which they must reconfigure themselves” must reconfigure themselves” (Dervitsiotis, 2005, p. 925)(Dervitsiotis, 2005, p. 925)

Three key factors are variation, Three key factors are variation, interaction and selection (Benet interaction and selection (Benet & Benet, 2004, p.45) & Benet, 2004, p.45)

Diagram of the Edge of Chaos/Zone of Complexity Copyright © 2001, Brenda J. Zimmerman. York University, Canada. Permission to copy for educational purposes only. From Ralph Stacey, 1996

There is no PLE best practiceThere is no PLE best practice

““the point isn’t to find the best learning the point isn’t to find the best learning strategy but to evolve systems that strategy but to evolve systems that continually search, explore, and test out continually search, explore, and test out those strategies” those strategies” Cooper et al.,2004Cooper et al.,2004

““Time Inc. to Eliminate Nearly Time Inc. to Eliminate Nearly 300 Magazine Jobs”300 Magazine Jobs”

(Jan 19, 2007)(Jan 19, 2007)

"It really is a different "It really is a different world, and these world, and these legacy businesses are legacy businesses are going through a going through a wrenching transition . . wrenching transition . . . they have to run the . they have to run the old business while old business while building the new one."building the new one." Harold VogelHarold Vogel

Transitioning to PLEsTransitioning to PLEs

Be the person you want your pupils to be – Be the person you want your pupils to be – model desired behaviour (Stephen model desired behaviour (Stephen Downes).Downes).

Support a culture of reflection, innovation Support a culture of reflection, innovation and teaching scholarship.and teaching scholarship.

Use open standard and interoperable Use open standard and interoperable tools.tools.

Try a new tool in every course you teach.Try a new tool in every course you teach.

ConclusionConclusion

The context of both formal and lifelong learning The context of both formal and lifelong learning is changing rapidly, creating great opportunity is changing rapidly, creating great opportunity and considerable risk.and considerable risk.Positive adaptation requires allowing student Positive adaptation requires allowing student and teacher choice, support and opportunity to and teacher choice, support and opportunity to exploit affordances of Net technologies.exploit affordances of Net technologies.Role of management is to create an ecology of Role of management is to create an ecology of innovation, testing and reflection.innovation, testing and reflection.There is no single ‘killer app” in this environment There is no single ‘killer app” in this environment - rather an evolving set of personal and social - rather an evolving set of personal and social tools, pedagogies, and resources.tools, pedagogies, and resources.

The Great CommunityThe Great Community

..a subtle, delicate, vivid and responsive art of ..a subtle, delicate, vivid and responsive art of communication must take possession of the communication must take possession of the physical machinery of transmission and physical machinery of transmission and circulation and breath life into it. When the circulation and breath life into it. When the machine age has thus perfected its machinery, it machine age has thus perfected its machinery, it will be a means of life and not its despotic will be a means of life and not its despotic master.master.– John Dewey (1927) The great communityJohn Dewey (1927) The great community

Your Comments or QuestionsYour Comments or QuestionsMost Welcomed !Most Welcomed !

Terry Anderson

terrya@athabascau.ca

Final reference: futurelab (2006) Social software and learning

Learning in a Networked Era Learning in a Networked Era Focuses on:Focuses on:

Even in formal learning, Learner Choice to Even in formal learning, Learner Choice to co-co-determine and negotiatedetermine and negotiate::– Tools for learningTools for learning– ContentContent– Time and placeTime and place– PacePace– Means of evaluationMeans of evaluation– Ways to learnWays to learn– RelationshipsRelationships– OpennessOpenness

Rod Boothby. ,2006 http://www.innovationcreators.com

Threaded

Discussions

Choices Appropriate learning Environments

Skills and Knowledge Feedback

http://www.nestafuturelab.org/research/personalisation/report_01.htm

"First Law of Technology":"First Law of Technology":

"A consistent pattern in our response to new "A consistent pattern in our response to new technologies is we simultaneously overestimate technologies is we simultaneously overestimate the short-term impact and underestimate the the short-term impact and underestimate the long-term impact. long-term impact. – Roy Amara of the Institute for the Future.Roy Amara of the Institute for the Future.– ““Learning a living” – The Age of Information demands Learning a living” – The Age of Information demands

the simultaneous use of all our faculties, we discover the simultaneous use of all our faculties, we discover that we are most at leisure when we are most that we are most at leisure when we are most intensely involved, very much as with the artists in all intensely involved, very much as with the artists in all ages” McLuhan, 1994 p. 347ages” McLuhan, 1994 p. 347

Net-Gen TeacherNet-Gen TeacherAction ResearchAction Research

Lisa Suben, 23. told her supervisors she Lisa Suben, 23. told her supervisors she was going to produce her own fifth-grade was going to produce her own fifth-grade math curriculum. math curriculum.

A year later, her students achieved the A year later, her students achieved the largest one-year math score jump ever largest one-year math score jump ever seen at a KIPP school from the 16th to the seen at a KIPP school from the 16th to the 77th percentile 77th percentile

Jay MathewsWashington Post Staff WriterTuesday, December 19, 2006

Suben said: "My primary goal as a teacher is to Suben said: "My primary goal as a teacher is to help my students understand the reasoning help my students understand the reasoning behind math rules and procedures. behind math rules and procedures. – Understanding is constructed by the learner, not Understanding is constructed by the learner, not

passively received from the teacher.passively received from the teacher.– Understanding is built by making connections Understanding is built by making connections

between as many strands of knowledge as possible.between as many strands of knowledge as possible.– Understanding is galvanized through communication.Understanding is galvanized through communication.– Understanding is only valuable when you reflect on it Understanding is only valuable when you reflect on it

and question it." and question it." Jay Mathews

Terry’s Technology of the Year AwardTerry’s Technology of the Year Award

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) society The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) society aims to distribute a laptop to every child in aims to distribute a laptop to every child in the world in the next 5 to 10 yearsthe world in the next 5 to 10 years

“Our display has higher resolution than 95% of the laptop displays on the market today; approximately 1/7th the power consumption; 1/3rd the price; sunlight readability; and room-light readability with the backlight off.

www.laptop.org

http://http://www.youtube.com/www.youtube.com/watch?watch?v=x60pWzJvb9Qv=x60pWzJvb9Q

2006 EduBlog Survey2006 EduBlog Survey

Scott McleodScott Mcleod N=160