In a recent post I mentioned how the public often reacts strongly to the idea of new technology being used in the classroom. Perhaps one mistake we make is to not reassure them that good ol' fashioned teaching is still taking place, and that these new tools are only augmenting the traditional education they're afraid of losing.

One school in Minnesota is doing it very well:

Anyone who has attempted to pass a public funding referendum for education knows how difficult it can be to convince John and Jane Q. Public of the merits of certain types of teaching.

This speaks for itself. I'll let it.

National Thrift Week had a 50-year run in our history before being dispensed with in the 1960s. It began on Jan. 17, 1916—the birthday of Benjamin Franklin, the “American Apostle of Thrift”—and soon spread to more than 300 communities. Everyone from the YMCA to the Jewish Welfare Board to the National Education Association sponsored the event. Indeed, educators, partnering with financial institutions and businesses, played a key role in promoting thrift during the week.

Brad Flickinger, educational futurist, will be presenting on Teaching with Netbooks Friday, 15 January at 12:30 courtesy of Atomic Learning. Brad's always popular, and this is a great topic.

Nineteen states have enacted legislation to prevent cyberbullying. Each state has different requirements as to how the policies are implemented; some have introduced new laws where as others have modified previous laws to include various pieces of electronic equipment.

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to participate in FETC 2010 – the most comprehensive ed-tech learning event in the U.S. — at a significant discount! FETC 2010 is the content-rich conference that brings education leaders and technology experts together to exchange techniques and strategies for administrative, teaching and learning success.

With more than 200 Concurrent Sessions, 70-plus workshops—and an exhibit hall of 400-plus solution providers displaying and demonstrating the latest products and services—it’s

Educators face an uphill battle when attempting to embrace 21st century teaching models. Regardless of the technical accommodations in a particular classroom, the instructor tasked with using those tools must be trained to apply them effectively.

This morning I presented the topic, "Becoming 21st Century Ready" to a group of teachers and administrators from international schools around the world. We started the presentation by discussing what everyone thought of when they heard the term "21st century skills." To my delight, this group developed a list that was directly in line with the skills that Atomic Learning promotes. "The ability to research," "living a balanced life," "the ability to use technology," and "the ability to communicate" were just a few of the skills shouted from the group.

But as we went on to discuss the topic more, Mrs. K from the audience brought up an interesting point. She said, "I think we have forgotten an invaluable skill that we, as teachers, need to develop in our students.

Technology use in schools is gaining momentum. To fuel this growth, educators need data. With your help, we can present the real-world picture of 'what works' to others to help them avoid pitfalls and be successful.You understand the power of technology to transform. We need your help so everyone else will.

Go to survey

This morning I was repeatedly reminded of a dilemma professionals in many fields encounter. On one hand, an employee is expected to keep up with the latest technological tools available to them and relevant to their job. On the other, they may already feel overwhelmed with what's on their to-do lists.

For millions around the world, one gang of friends commemorates childhood: The Sesame Street bunch. Here's a shot of some of them posing for a recent Google promotion. I guess you can't escape fame, even if you're a muppet.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNPi4ui5pCI&hl=en&fs=1&border=1]

Get SMART. Get ACTIV.

You have the technology. Now what?

Technology is reaching farther into the classroom every day and with tools like SMART Notebook, ActivPrimary and ActivStudio it should be easy—but that’s not always the case.

We are pleased to offer you the opportunity to participate in FETC 2010 – the most comprehensive ed-tech learning event in the U.S. — free! FETC 2010 is the content-rich conference that brings education leaders and technology experts together to exchange techniques and strategies for administrative, teaching and learning success.

Ryan Bretag writes:

...the concept of teaching and learning in the 21st Century should focus on students as pre-professionals. To do this, the classroom needed to focus on inquiry and problem-base learning, real world experiences, research opportunities, and field work. As well, the experiences should engage them with challenges that force student application, creativity, and critical thinking.

“Each year more schools sign up to be part of Speak Up because it offers them – their students, parents and staff – a way to express their opinions about the future of learning, local and national policies, how teaching could be improved and more,” said Julie Evans, CEO of Project Tomorrow, the survey’s facilitator and a national leader in empowering students to have a voice in improving education in the 21st century.

For students around the nation, blogs have become far more than the latest technology buzzword. For many, blogging can be a key method of communication on a social level. While many students already blog in their free time, incorporating blogging technology into the classroom can have many benefits through the use of a medium that already interests students and makes learning more interactive and engaging.

MSNBC.com:

But based on preliminary information obtained by The Associated Press from a handful of states, teachers appear to have benefited most from early spending. That’s because the stimulus sent billions of dollars to help stabilize state budgets, sparing what officials said would have teacher layoffs.

We look forward to meeting you at the South Carolina EdTech 2009 conference next week!  Please stop by Atomic Learning at booth 416 to learn more about how we can help support you in building 21st century-ready students and teachers.

Atomic Learning has created an ebook as a resource for those wishing to understand 21st century skills and how to integrate them to create both teachers and students that are 21st century-ready.

Get it free here.

In two minutes or less, America's students have an opportunity to show the nation and the world how far education can take them and how they will achieve their dreams.

On September 8, President Barack Obama called on the nation's students to take greater responsibility for their education. Now, the U.S. Department of Education is asking students to respond by participating in a national video contest titled “I Am What I Learn.” (read more)

Here's a great resource that goes beyond a simple list to break down suggestions by age group and offer solid suggestions for modern teachers.

Download Top Ten Tips (simple registration required)

This project is part of our 21st Century Skills package. Watch the first video

The tutorials in this workshop series will guide the user through four important questions that teachers and students will face when using Web-based resources for classroom projects:

Integrating Assistive Technology Tools for Writing into General Education from Atomic Learning on Vimeo.

Here's something that could be a heck of  lot of fun for kids and teachers alike.

Scratch is a free programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art - and share your creations on the Web.

As you head back to school, stay on top of what's hot with The Top 10 Most Read Stories on TechLearning.com

Bloom's Taxonomy Bloom's Digitally

Blocking For Balance

Free Education Workshops

As mentioned in an earlier post, we're kicking off the school year with a series of webinars on assistive technology integration. The first is today at noon CDT. There's still time to register if you're interested.