Kamehameha Schools Distance Learning (KSDL) Owau

Aloha Kākou, I attended the webinar, "How to Get Employees Up to Speed in Record Time," presented by Arupa Tesolin and Steve Rosenbaum. No only is this topic pertinent to my professional development, but as ISC is experiencing growth and on-boarding new employees, it was a timely opportunity to gain insight into an on-going challenge faced by all organizations. The central philosophy behind the short-duration, high-results onboarding was a focus on PROFICIENCY. I'll get to that in a minute. First, though, overall improvement is actualized by targeting key positions. These will be the ones that: generate revenue or client results; build or service products; or solve customer problems. Pretty straight-forward... In order to get the biggest bang for your buck (or hour) they advise: 1. Define and Measure Proficiency 2. Map the Current Learning Process 3. Accelerate the Path. I found there to be interesting similarities of philosophy to efficiency studies of the early 20th cen...

This was an interesting layout for Bloom's using Android apps.  Below this image is also one Kathy Schrock did for Google products.  To Google Apps or not to Google?

If you thought you were the only one who wasn't sure, definitively, how technology should be used in classrooms, you're not the only one. The New York Times has had several articles in the last few days that talk about the "app gap," students that absolutely need technology, Silicon Valley parents that refuse to let their kids use computers in school, and Indiana schools who use laptops exclusively. Screen Time Higher Than Ever for Children: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/us/screen-time-higher-than-ever-for-children-study-finds.html And http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/opinion/occupy-the-classroom.html?emc=eta1 And Out with Textbooks, in With Laptops for an Indiana School District: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/education/19textbooks.html?pagewanted=1 Contrast this with: A Silicon Valley School That Doesn't Compute: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/23/technology/at-waldorf-school-in-silicon-valley-technology-can-wait.html?hpw

  Early in the video Godin notes that blogging is not about the number of readers, but about the other benefits gained by blogging. That is a great point for all bloggers, but especially new bloggers to remember. Focus on consistently (it doesn't have to be every day, some of my favorite bloggers write only twice a week) producing quality content that you find beneficial to yourself and a small group of peers or colleagues and eventually your audience will grow. I started this blog for the purpose of keeping a record of things that I found interesting and for keeping in touch with friends. If you're just starting out in the blogging community, remember that blogging is about learning, reflecting, and sharing.

Just finished reading this book by Chris Lehmann and Scott McLeod.  As technology reshapes teaching and learning in the twenty-first century, school leaders would do well take into consideration the insights and advice shared in this book. With dozens of concrete examples, it offers something for education leaders no matter their prior experience with technology tools and issues.  Digital technologies and social media continue to evolve and are transforming the way in which we communicate, teach, and learn. This is a must-have toolbox for educational leaders who choose to be agents of change. If you have a chance, pick up a copy.  It is worth the investment, especially for school leaders.

I know we are not promoting Google but they do have a lot of resources that we can utilize when thinking about blended learning implementation. For example, PD planning, case studies, training options, and communication plans. It's a good framework to think about when thinking about integration and empowering users to take control. I liked the idea of Ninja or Guru groups setting out and representing the initiative...same way we think of ambassadors. K12 Guide to Going Google: http://k12guide.googleapps.com/

What are millennial students saying about teachers? A friend who is a professor at Dalton State University sent me this article.  I found it very enlightening, especially from page 2 and on.

Aloha, Kel and I attended this training by Keith Ayers last Thursday. It dealt with understanding your dimension of behavior (similar to work style), but focused on behavior tendencies. Here's a summary of the four behavior types: Dominance - direct, results-oriented, strong-willed and forceful. Influence - outgoing, enthusiastic, optimistic and lively. Steadiness - even-tempered, accommodating, patient and humble. Conscientiousness - analytical, reserved, precise and systematic. Guess what Kel and I are? I'll tell you at the end of this post :) The most applicable pieces of information shared at the workshop was learning the strengths and fears of each type. If you know someone's DiSC profile, you can build on their strengths, but be conscious of trying not to feed their fears. Here's a chart showing four characteristics and a spectrum of whether or not it is strength or limitation for each behavior type. ...