“Hey dad, can I have a YouTube channel?” my son asked.”What kind of a channel would you create?” I asked.”Maybe a channel showing how to create things in Minecraft. But there’s already a lot out there. What if I had a channel showing kids how…
Seven years ago, I did a research project on blended and personalized professional development. There were a few big take-homes that I hadn’t considered before. For example, I learned that “personalized” only works when there is a collaborative and creative component. I also learned that…
When I was a kid, I remember hearing that computers would replace teachers. I didn’t like this idea, unless they could guarantee that my teacher would be like Data on Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, technologists promised us that computers would radically transform our…
I’m sitting at a technology training learning about a new app. This is the kind of training I’ve seen people mock. I’ve heard folks say, “You should focus on pedagogy and not technology.” Or people say, “Professional development should be job-embedded.” Or even, “If you’re…
You’ve seen the videos imploring people to “look up” and abandon their devices. It’s easy to look into a crowd and say, “They’re not interacting with each other.” But I’ve always had a hard time with these complaints. The problem isn’t the device. It’s the…
Here’s a sketchy video I created for my technology pedagogy course. I have mixed feelings about SAMR, because it often implies that “lower levels” are not as good when often substitution works well. Royan Lee picked this apart well. I also think there are times…
Note: While this post points to a problem I have noticed with tech adoption and teachers, I want to point out that there is a free resource I developed with coaching questions for teachers on the technology journey. These correspond with a post I wrote…
We use terms like “I’m on YouTube or “I’m going online” and it implies a sense of space. I might say “I spent an hour on Facebook,” but I would never say, “I spent an hour on a book.” And yet, when you are online,…
I sit in front of the computer, staring at the screen. I have a general syllabus with little more than standards and goals. The university is giving me a crazy amount of freedom to design this online course. I shake my head, unsure of what…
A few years ago, I was a technology coach and I noticed a trend. Teachers tended to go through certain stages as they adopted and integrated technology. I have found these trends to be true of my own experience when it comes to certain platforms…
I’m a professor and a maker. Sometimes I make things. Sometimes I make a difference. On a good day, I get to do both.
