Data Visualization

Data visualization just fascinates me. Looking at something familiar through a different lens, or looking at something complex or unfamiliar in a way that we're used to seeing... very cool stuff. Hans Rosling is adorable:

And while I love what Hans does with statistics, I also really enjoy the meaning one gains from text visualizations such as Wordle. Taking the entire text of a speech, then pasting it into wordle.net, gives an instant summary of the words used most frequently. At right I've embedded a wordle of Mother Teresa's speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC in 1994. What if, in Civics or Government we pasted in the text of stump speeches to see if candidates' word choice seems consistent with what they are trying to portray? This sort of data visualization gives students a tool to make meaning of complex text, with some interesting and thought-provoking questions that jump right out.

A new tool for me this week has been American Heritage Dictionary's You Are Your Words site, which isn't exactly data visualization, but is still a pretty neat way to pull together text and image. Here I am, created from text from my blog. I see some interesting applications in which students select articles or definitions from Wikipedia that represent themselves to use as the text for their images.

As our students continue to explore what their digital footprint is, these sort of tools can help them to better create a presence that they are proud of, that represents their point of view, and that they can safely share with the world.

24/7 Learning

When I hear a word or phrase in a meeting that I am unfamiliar with, I pull out my device and look it up on the spot. That allows me to continue to focus on the topic, instead of being lost and then disengaged. Why should it be any different for students? Handheld devices (smart phones, iPads, netbooks) are tools of learning, and students are using them outside of school without any guidance or support. How much more powerful these tools could be if students were actually taught how to use them effectively! Why should we continue to block students from using tools in school that could improve their engagement and understanding, simply because it is complicated to manage it? Graham Brown-Martin calls this “the wrong way to consume computers”.
 

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Research about English learners indicates that 5 hours per week of instruction is enough to maintain, but not grow, English proficiency. If we consider that subjects such as algebra and chemistry are foreign languages, it’s clear that 5 hours per week isn’t going to really grow proficiency. A 24/7 learning model, facilitated by meaningful integration of technology, is a way to increase achievement for all students. But the 24/7 learning model requires 24/7 internet access and teachers who take advantage of web-based tools to reinforce and deepen classroom learning.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) can be the bridge across the digital divide. More than 70% of parents, regardless of socio-economic status, say they will buy devices for their kids if the school has students use those devices as part of the educational experience. With the low cost, powerful devices now available, the majority of schools have the ability to provide take-home devices for students who do not have devices of their own. Thus, ALL students can have access to a 24/7 curriculum, with meaningful instruction and homework that takes advantage of the power of the technology tools.

I see the phrase “lifelong learner” in the mission statement of pretty much every district I’ve ever worked with. It’s time to embrace what that means in the 21^st Century, and ensure that every student has 24/7 digital access to curriculum.

Just Let Me Sing

Most of us know the story of Susan Boyle, the unemployed 47-year-old woman in England who won the UK version of Idol. But if you haven't seen her first audition, you really ought to take a look at http://youtu.be/VSrAJsWvEIc. 

First impressions can be deceiving. In Susan Boyle's audition, the giggles and rolling eyes show how physical characteristics and mannerisms can stack the deck against an individual. Amanda Holden's comment after the performance really resonated with me - we all need that wake up call.

This is one of the reason's I think online education has so much potential for some students. Instructors and students can hear each others' voices through their online presence, without the distractions that a physical presence can sometimes create. Shy students, those with physical handicaps, those with language barriers might all find their voices in the online environment.

Online education isn't for everyone, or isn't for everyone all the time. But for some students, the online environment allows their voice to sing.

Which comes first, the teaching or the learning?

There are teachers who believe their instruction is driven by the content. It is the teacher’s job to teach, and the student’s job to learn. These teachers believe that they know their content extremely well, and it is the students’ responsibility if they do not learn it. The focus is on delivery of content.

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In contrast, there are teachers who believe that their instruction is driven by student learning needs, and if students do not learn, it is their responsibility to teach it differently. The focus is on the receipt of content.

I strive to be the latter kind of teacher. It’s not easy – it certainly takes more time to find multiple ways to deliver content, and provide individual support! And yet, it is my job to help people learn, more than just to teach. It is not good enough just to broadcast my knowledge and passion, I need to make sure that it connects with my audience. Learners of all ages deserve to have instruction in a variety of modalities, and teachers who make every attempt to connect with them, share their knowledge, and help them construct knowledge themselves. 

I have had some amazing students over the years. I have learned something new from each and every student that I have managed to connect with.  In order to continue to grow as an educator and as a person, I need to continue to connect, continue to learn, and continue to help others learn. In whatever way works best for them.

Theory to Practice

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One of the key elements that I value as an educator and as a learner is the concept of theory to practice. I believe that exploring the value of a particular strategy or tool starts with the research on its effectiveness in different situations. That means reading about what people are trying, what works well, and what hasn’t worked so well. It means listening to reflective practitioners as they analyze their data, and question their results. And then it means trying the theory myself – jumping in with both feet, while being thoughtful about what I’ve learned so far and knowing what questions remain to be answered in my situation, with my population.

But it isn’t good enough for me to just believe in theory to practice for my own work. I need to be explicit about it and encourage it in my students. I need to create experiences in which students feel confident that they understand the theory, and then structure a safe environment for them to turn that newfound theory into practice. I need to share my successes, and be transparent about my failures; modeling what we do when something doesn’t go as expected is a critical step in helping others become reflective lifelong learners.

Theory to practice is a way to learn, a way to be a lifelong learner. It is a spiral of knowledge that involves researching, testing, reflecting, then researching again to get to the next level. For me it is a constant state of questioning, of being slightly off-balance, and not being able to settle for the status quo. It’s a constant state of growth.