Jim Flowers: Blogs and Education

Thu, 22 Sep 2005 19:11:17 GMT

Speaking of techlinks -- I am moderating an eRoundtable discussion on eLearning and whether it has reached a tipping point as the way to keep the workforce sharp. You can weigh in with your comments.

Wed, 07 Sep 2005 09:17:18 GMT

Will teachers please blog?

That is the plea from an editor at Business Week.

Tech, Education and Real Education

Fri, 19 Aug 2005 10:24:53 GMT

Don't tell the Marietta Journal -- but a High School in Arizona has done away with books -- they are using laptops and e-texts this year.

Course, the real issue of tech spending in education is being missed. Business Week Blogspotting nails it:

The problem is that society, including educators, tends to focus more on the technology (We need more money for computers; We should get into blogs, etc etc.), and less on how these tools get people to think and interact.

Empty Words

Thu, 14 Apr 2005 22:13:49 GMT

Secretary spelling testified recently to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (an interesting grouping -- cradle to grave -- no?). Anyhow, she says all the right things about transforming our current model of education :

Technology is changing the world faster than our imagination can predict it. Our high schools may be very different places a decade or two from now. The old, regimented "factory"-type model, based on time spent in classrooms, may give way to a new "competency-based" model that measures progress according to what kids have learned, not the date on the calendar.

Such a model would take full advantage of community resources, private sector innovations and the advanced, interactive technologies kids and teachers use at home and school. We already see it in the movement to create "Digital High Schools" and the explosive growth of "Distance Learning." It is a smarter, faster, more student-centric model of learning.

Right on. So, why is Cobb County spending $100 million without changing the model? Why is Athens-Clarke reversing the model change that occurred when they adopted the Barnes laptop program? What is Muscogee County doing with their $53 million for technology?

Back to the bad ol' days

Thu, 14 Apr 2005 11:37:45 GMT

Amid all the negative stories concerning the Cobb County School Board decision to put laptops in the hands of all middle schoolers (see AJC and MDJ today), here is one that speaks, anecdotedly at least, of the success of such a program, one funded by Governor Barnes for three years.

Yet, despite all the evidence given by the Clarke-Athens school board that giving students a laptop to take home, to work with personally as their own can and does produce a positive impact on the quality of education ... the board has decided to take those machines and redistribute them as classroom machines thus reverting to the failed, old model of letting technology sit in the corner only to be used as a "busy" time device. And of course, this method has yet to prove to be a positive influence on the quality of education received.

When will our administrators learn that technology can help only if you change the way you educate?

BTW, Terry Frazier is absolutely right as to why the Cobb plan will fail. The Barnes model addressed those issues -- and it succeeded.

On a tangent -- Frazier's analysis is a model of what good reporting on this issue should have produced. Alas, none of the "professional" media outlets have done such -- in fact, until today, none of the reports on the Cobb laptop program have even alluded to the three year state laptop program. And, these are the entities that say they defend democracy?

UGA doing some blogging

Tue, 12 Apr 2005 14:16:23 GMT

Saw this while rummaging through news websites this am

Blogging provides classrooms another route to Web UGA Red and Black

A natural born blogger

Thu, 07 Apr 2005 18:12:08 GMT

Kevin stepped right into blogging and hasn't looked back.

Just scanned a few days of his latest posts. You will want to follow the link to Cathy Henson's article on the state of Georgia Schools.

To Blog...

Mon, 07 Mar 2005 10:03:22 GMT

Kevin (narcisstic blogger) is shaming me into writing more, and re-discovering writers in Atlanta. Why should I spend so much time reading the journals of California, New York, and DC bloggers when we have so much talent here (answer is I should read both).

Truth is -- I blog a lot in my head -- just fail to put the words to the key pad (so much for the pen-to-paper allegory). Course, some of those words could make life unpleasant at work (see AP Story). ;)

I do "link blogging" everyday as I read the news across this state and the national papers. I don't post those everyday here, but then perhaps I should, at least to the "Morning Reads" category.

I also miss not posting regularly to "Blogs and Education", though I have many friends doing good work there.

So, in the words of Jim Collins, -- what do I "stop doing" so that I do what should be done to achieve Excellence?

Oh well, need to finish the morning chores before the office beckons.

A Trademark travesty.

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 14:53:52 GMT

Teachnology is under attack by the same folks who want to make money selling the readers of Teachnology their services. One could categorize this as a "teaching" moment.

Instructor at community college in trademark challenge.

Dan Mitchell, an instructor at DeAnza Community College in Cupertino (a short distance from Apple Computer's headquarters) got a cease and desist letter. A law firm is asking him to stop using his name "Technology.org."

I know Dan and have been reading his blog for years. If anyone can help him, let him know.
[Scobleizer: Microsoft Geek Blogger]

Wed, 02 Mar 2005 09:23:58 GMT

Cool developer-centric blog gets better.

Congrats Mike Gunderloy on making your blog a full-time thing. For those who don't know, Mike has a great developer-centric blog. Mostly a link blog kind of thing, but he's promising a lot more content now.

[Scobleizer: Microsoft Geek Blogger]

Some Afternoon Webivision to watch

Fri, 07 Jan 2005 09:17:25 GMT

Webcast of Unveiling of National Ed. Techology Plan on January 7. Watch the webcast of the unveiling of the 2004 National Education Techology Plan on January 7 at 3:00 pm Eastern time. Secretary Paige and other officials will present the plan, "Toward a New Golden Age in American Education: How the Internet, the Law, and Today’s Students Are Revolutionizing Expectations." [U.S. Department of Education]

Gilmor to Greener Pastures?

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 11:05:16 GMT

Winer extends his salutations to Dan Gilmor (hmm. that's another link I need to change) who is leaving the San Jose Mercury News (should I drop them from the morning reads?)

Congrats to Dan Gillmor (Steve's younger brother) on winding up his long run at the SJ Merc, and looking forward to hearing more about the new career as Pied Piper of amateur journalism in the US. [Scripting News]

Nonetheless, Dan leaves a list of cites for the increasing relevance of blogs in today's information economy:

My colleague (until tomorrow) Mike Bazeley discusses how blogs and other online forums have become a "global commons" in the wake of the tsunamis. See also this BBC story.

ABC News's World News Tonight understood the importance of bloggers, and called them "People of the Year" (Xeni Jardin of BoingBoing is featured).

Stuart Hughes, one of my heros in the blog world, posted some kind words about my book. Thanks, Stuart.

Jay Rosen has been penning a fascinating "top 10" list of journalism ideas emerging in 2004. My work figures in several, but I encourage you to just go to his invaluable PressThink blog and start reading.

Enjoy.

A very important question

Sun, 14 Nov 2004 08:51:21 GMT

Robert Scoble of Microsoft asks the following question:

Any ideas on how to excite 10-to-13-year-olds about programming and math/science?.

Please click through and read what he has to say. The answers (and there is more than one) are important - if you care about competitiveness, innovation, a productive generation, the future....

Sun, 07 Nov 2004 19:27:46 GMT

e-Access

Houston County slows wireless plan.

e-Development

Remember Offshoring? Outsourcing is staying onshore. If you want to read another offshoring report, go here.

e-Health

SMS can save your life.

e-Learning

A web full of learning opportunities.

e-Privacy

Virginia law slamming spammers. Lack of identity system leading to more crime? RFID : Big Brother’s Passport?

e-Voting