21stcenturyed.com

Give individual attention to kids – but teach more and oh- byt the way – you have lunch duty, hall duty, and extra-curriculars to run. That was the old Horace’s compromise.

Today, Horace would be faced with teaching 21st century skills without the necessary technology or Internet access.

I had a conversation yesterday with a colleague at a local high school…Click HERE for more.

This was one of the better conferences I’ve been to.  There was a nice mix of topics for those just starting out new online school programs as well as some for the ‘grey beards’ in the group (those with 5 or more years experience in online schools).  Here are a couple of highlights:

• Teacher Preparation: This topic came up over and over again – how the current teacher preparation programs in the United States fail (miserably, I might add) at preparing teachers for any type of online instruction at all.  So – we’ve identified the problem.  Now – anyone have a solution?  Unfortunately the folks who can make this sort of change do not attend these types of conferences.  Outreach is needed.
• Teaching 21st Century Skills: This – coupled with Web 2.0 technologies – was another repeating theme.  The big difference between this year and last?  Most people in the sessions I attended knew what wikis and blogs were this year.  Last year?  Eh- not so much.  A praiseworthy presentation by Glen Moses (www.mrmoses.org) and his colelagues from Odyssey schools in Las Vegas.  Glen used every 2.0/3.0 technology he could in order to present his ideas (Twitter, blogs, wiki, streaming video, etc.) rather than PowerPointing us to death.  Intersting stat – one approximation was that only 25-30% of students take part in supplemental course activities such as participation in class-based social networking and blogging.  Is this becasue it is “optional and supplemental”?  Or because they aren’t interested in those activities?
• Tiny Food: Okay – it was not a topic, but it was a recurring theme.  Both evening get togethers featured only appetizers – no sit-down meals to be had here! 
• Teacher Training:  This topic was very popular as well – mostly due to the dearth of teacher preparation 9see above).
• The need for data: Not just data – but consistent and equivalent data points that we can use to truly measure the effectiveness of programs.  What is the real definition of “course completer”?  How does a CAT test compare with a NY Regents?  A centralized method to store and share this data as well was indicated.
• The need for randomized studies: The ‘gold standard’, as it was called at the conference.  Where good data is present, using sound investigative experimental designs to measure the success (or failure) of online programs.

Just waiting for the pre-conference events to begin, sitting in a lobby outside the ballrooms.  Being one of the first registrants, I was able to see the all of the name tags before others had picked theirs up.  Hundreds, folks…it’s going to be a big one this year!  of course I am not yet done with my presentation…but never fear.  I perform well under pressure! 

What I’ve seen of downtown Louisville is very nice.  After a dinner with a vendor of ours, I stumbled upon “4th Street” live.  The city closes off a city block that is filled with bars and nightclubs.  Very colorful and very…well…LIVE!

More to come as the conference begins – my first stop is a pre-conference session on using Learning Management Systems effectively with Todd Hitchcock & Matt Wicks.