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Nothing but this 7

Mar

2013

In the first part of his new book Present Shock, media theorist Douglas Rushkoff explains how we have come to a “now-ist” “presentism” resulting in “narrative collapse.” If I understand him correctly, Rushkoff argues that new media, social change, and technologies make traditional story-telling untenable. While we are accustomed to stories that fit the mold ...

3 ideas for #dml2014 5

Mar

2013

Here are a few ideas that occurred to me while watching DML 2013 from afar. Bursaries for public school educators Set up, say, twenty-five travel and lodging bursaries for public school educators to attend DML 2014. Or ask a sponsor to do so. Publish open criteria for the awards – focus on teachers working with ...

On writing for the state: be chill 5

Mar

2013

Toy hacking as differentiated vocab

Mar

2013

My favorite tweet out of this week’s Make-to-Learn symposium came from Paul Oh: Since I could not attend the symposium, I decided to mess around with (non-digital) toy hacking today. We have toys in the room, several of which I judged to be usable for a remix. Toy hacking appeals to me as an instructional ...

Another cardboard arcade cabinet takes shape

Mar

2013

Disclaimer: I helped with the control pad on this one.

Cardboard arcade controllers

Feb

2013

Controller 1 Controller 2

Making time for storytelling and play at EduCon 2.5

Jan

2013

This year we’ve scheduled out first Expo Night the day before I leave for EduCon 2.5. I am thrilled. I expect to ride a train-shaped wave of maker euphoria from Charlottesville to Philadelphia. In preparation for Expo, we’ll spend the next week and a half or so helping kids polish the quality work they want ...

EduCon & the work left for us to do 2

Oct

2012

On November 1st, EduCon 2.5 proposals are due. EduCon is “an innovation conference where we can come together, both in person and virtually, to discuss the future of schools.” I enjoy the conference very much both for the people and sense of possibility I feel when I’m there. While there is always work to be ...

Connected learning is a call to care

Aug

2012

For me, yesterday was one of those vital days that pop up from time to time and buoy the challenging, but potentially transformative, work-and play-of teaching and learning. I started the day facilitating an introductory Scratch session for novice secondary users attending our division’s inaugural K-12 ed tech camp, part of our broader (and increasingly ...

Relief or renewal? Virginia’s NCLB waiver

Jul

2012

Given Virginia’s failure to win a Race to the Top grant – because of its determination to stick with the Standards of Learning (SOL) instead of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) – the Obama administration’s decision to release Virginia from No Child Left Behind (NCLB) shocked me, or maybe not. The skeptic in me ...