Gartner: 3 Tech Trends Driven By The Internet of Things [INFOGRAPHIC]

Created by Gartner http://gartnernews.com/three-emerging-trends-drive-digital-business/

The road to digital business starts with ubiquitous “smart” things that will range from contact lenses that measure blood glucose to complex industrial turbines that can predict a failed bearing before it happens. This proliferation of devices is part of a “virtuous circle of smart things,” where falling costs inspire increased connectivity, leading to greater functionality, growing diversity (in the types of smart things) and then, rising ubiquity in the volume of smart things. IT leaders must understand that new technologies may be less disruptive than the new business models they enable and accept that the biggest disruptions will most likely arise from outside their industries. They must act quickly to explore the use of smart machines internally and track use by existing and potential competitors.

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Teachers Work 11 Hour Days [INFOGRAPHIC]

Created by Knewton http://www.knewton.com

Teachers regularly juggle schedules that include lectures, classroom activities, one-on-one tutoring, grading, administrative meetings, parent interaction, coaching and extracurricular activities, and professional development. As any teacher knows, every activity that occurs in the classroom can require a good deal of preparation and grading outside of class. The What Does It Take To Be A Teacher? Infographic shows that teachers’ realities are growing increasingly complex. Today they face massive challenges ranging from expanding class sizes, an increased diversity of student needs to consider, and a peer and pop culture that is not always supportive of school. And already, they are charged by society with tremendous responsibilities that range from inculcating democratic values to ensuring global competitiveness and preparing students for 21st century workforce needs.

21st Century Classroom Design Cultivates Collaboration [VIDEO 2:56]

There is a new innovation zone in Sakamaki Hall on the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa campus that includes three new classroom spaces—and these are not your mom and dad’s college classrooms. They feature easy-to-move, comfortable, flexible furniture that allows for multiple seating and standing options; walls and walls of white boards and sliding plexiglass surfaces to write on; the latest technologies for content display and sharing; bright rooms filled with natural light, ample outlets and a lot of space to move around.

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Integrating Student Growth into Teacher Evaluations: Adopting and Implementing the Right Measures for Your District

Reposted from Hanover Research on LinkedIn:

Amidst the changing backdrop of education reform, the role of the teacher is constantly evolving. As such, the evaluation systems upon which these teachers are measured are under examination. The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) advocates that effective teaching be rooted in academic results for students, and recent reports show that the nation is adopting this mindset quickly. Five years ago, 35 states did not require teacher evaluations to include student learning measures. Today, only six states have yet to add the measure as a future policy.

Since 2007, researchers in education policy have moved toward growth models to assess teacher and program effectiveness because “these statistical tools present a more complete picture of school performance.”

The value-added model (VAM) and the use of student learning objectives (SLOs) have emerged as proven analytical frameworks to measure student growth. The decision to implement one of these types of alternative measures for assessing teacher effectiveness varies based on district needs and data capabilities, finds a NCEE report profiling early-adopting districts. Districts using alternative assessment-based VAMs choose to take advantage of existing assessments, while those using SLOs select them as a teacher-guided method of assessing student growth.

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Which Policies Has Your State Adopted?

Reposted from the Education Commission of the States:

The Blueprint Report [PDF] and the following state profiles review important policy approaches designed to increase the number of U.S. students who earn a postsecondary degree or certification.

The 50-state analysis explores the extent to which states are meeting the 10 critical policies that promote college readiness and success. . The accompanying resources, technical assistance and online database are designed to respond to the unique needs of states.

Find out which states are pursuing these policies and check out the accompanying resources, such as the State Profiles. The Blueprint is designed to respond to the unique needs of states. Explore the 50-state analysis by clicking the different policies, and use the map to access information about each state.

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Kid President’s Pep Talk to Teachers and Students [VIDEO 3:55]

Kid President believes we’re all teachers and we’re all students. What are you teaching the world? Who are you learning from? This joy-filled tongue-in-cheek video will bring a smile to your face and provide that second wind to “get your learning on” for you, your colleagues and your students.

Leveraging Multiple Social Media Accounts For Better Results [INFOGRAPHIC]

We have created an infographic that depicts a typical day of the BundlePost social media marketing process. Below in the infographic we detail an example of our process using Instagram as well as an overview of what we do across all platforms.

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Cuomo Calls Public School System A Monopoly He Wants To Bust

Reposted from the New York Daily News:

Vowing to break “one of the only remaining public monopolies,” Gov. Cuomo on Monday said he’ll push for a new round of teacher evaluation standards if re-elected. Cuomo, during a meeting with the Daily News Editorial Board, said better teachers and competition from charter schools are the best ways to revamp an underachieving and entrenched public education system.

“I believe these kinds of changes are probably the single best thing that I can do as governor that’s going to matter long-term,” he said, “to break what is in essence one of the only remaining public monopolies — and that’s what this is, it’s a public monopoly.” Cuomo said he will push a plan that includes more incentives — and sanctions — that “make it a more rigorous evaluation system.” Cuomo expects fierce opposition from the state’s teachers, who are already upset with him and have refused to endorse his re-election bid.

Cuomo in 2012 won enactment of a new system tying teacher performance to the Common Core curriculum testing results. The implementation of some of those standards was delayed for two years earlier this year in recognition of the sloppy roll-out of the Common Core program. Cuomo accused teachers of having tried to torpedo the Common Core curriculum in fighting the evaluation standards — and expects they will again. “They will be using it the way they used it, I believe — to get the parents upset last year about this entire Common Core agenda,” he said.

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The Guilded Age: Professional Learning Communities in Education | ASCD Inservice

Reposted from the ASCD Inservice Blog:

Educator PLCs come in all shapes and sizes, and they all thrive on connections between interests, inquiries, and ideas. Whether working together side-by-side on a daily basis or meeting intermittently as time and opportunities allow, PLCs remain vital so long as members continue to value working together. Face-to-face or online, asynchronously or in real time, the venue doesn’t define the community—the work does.

The life cycle of a vibrant, thriving PLC includes six phases: building understanding, acquiring expertise,practicing skills, solving problems, contributing new knowledge, and creating original products. At the end of the life cycle, members will either regroup and recommit to new work or disband, having completed their objectives.

The legacy of a successful PLC is its members’ demonstrated, observable contributions to society. Just like artists, artisans, and their apprentices came together to improve their crafts, ultimately providing a contribution to society that is still valued and appreciated in museums today, education PLCs should seek to achieve similar long-lasting effects. As we conclude Connected Educator Month, let’s resolve to not just make connections in a social media sense but also in a substantive, meaningful, generative sense that pushes us to move education forward, improving the world in which our children will live. Professional learning communities have the potential to shape our legacy and our children’s future.

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This Video Made a Statement 7 Years Ago… [VIDEO 4:10]

How far have we come? How much does your classroom reflect the ideals shared by students in this video? Why haven’t we made more progress?

In a recent presentation I gave at the Systems Change Conference, I presented this reality, and suggested “It’s OK. Institutional change takes time.” A good friend and colleague of mine, Sherry Hughley Crofut, spoke up and challenged me. “But Walter, why? WHY is it OK?” She is right. I may want to use historical context to soften the OUCH of this video, but ultimately it’s not OK. Our children are the ones losing out. It’s time to push through to the promise of new learning, new creating, and new success.