Are We There Yet? }} 27 | INDEX Acer Recommends Windows 8
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thejournal.com April 2014 • Volume 41, No. 4 TRANSFORMING EDUCATION THROUGH IN THIS ISSUE TECHNOLOGY 9 | MAKERS IN CLASS A hands-on approach engages students, JOURNAL but how does project-based learning connect with standardized testing? 12 | ADAPTIVE LEARNING A tantalizing ed tech buzzword is moving closer to becoming a classroom reality. 17 | DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP The Digital Driver’s License is helping students prove that they can navigate the dangers of the Internet. 20 | HARDWARE CHOICES Despite the growth of mobile learning, desktops still play five important roles in the 21st century classroom. 23 | SPREADING STEM Private and public sector groups are joining the effort to steer students toward tech education and careers. DEPARTMENTS 3 | OUR SPACE Common Core’s numbers game Adaptive 4 | HERE & NOW Good news from PISA scores Learning: 7 | PRODUCT ROUNDUP New projectors and more 8 | INNOVATOR Joe Mazza, connected educator Are We There Yet? }} 27 | INDEX Acer recommends Windows 8. 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Untitled-2 1 3/17/14 10:40 AM ADVISORY BOARD OurSpace Ann Dunkin Christopher Piehler, Editor in Chief Chief Technology Officer, Palo Alto Unified School District (CA) Geoffrey H. Fletcher Common Core, Obamacare and Deputy Executive Director, State Educational Technology Directors Association the Numbers Game Ann Flynn With field tests underway, will CCSS reach the same Director of Education Technology & State Association tipping point that the Affordable Care Act has? Services, National School Boards Association Phil Hardin THE COMMON Core State Standards and haustively, and the Common Core as- Executive Director of Technology, Rowan-Salisbury the Affordable Care Act have a few big things in sessments have had their share of trou- School System (NC) Christopher Harris common. They are both enormous social initia- bles, including opposition from parents The two Coordinator, School Library System, Genesee Valley tives that began with noble goals. (Despite the and teachers, postponed field tests and controversial Educational Partnership (NY) social initiatives current hyperpartisan political climate, I think states switching assessment providers. Cathy Hutchins we can all agree that developing 21st century Despite its troubles, the ACA reached Principal, South Woods Elementary School, St. John’s have both been County School District (FL) educational standards for our public schools is a a tipping point at the end of March. With hampered by Thomas Murray good idea, as is improving access to healthcare.) more than 7 million people signed up for rocky rollouts. Director of Technology and Cyber Education, Both CCSS and the ACA have, of course, health insurance through the exchanges, Quakertown Community School District (PA) faced political opposition. Many of the ACA’s the law now has millions of citizens on Alice E. Owen Tmost vocal critics have called it an intrusion of its side, not to mention a deep-pocketed Educational Consultant Mark Stevens federal power into a state-level issue. I believe healthcare industry that is welcoming all General Manager, NEA Academy this reaction helped create some of the opposi- those new customers. tion to Common Core, which is based on the Common Core (which has its own powerful al- tation next spring, but as more educators get misconception that the standards are a federal lies in the business world) also reached an im- comfortable with them, Common Core is looking initiative. This backlash led to Indiana’s recent portant milestone at the end of March, by which like it, too, will win the numbers game. withdrawal from the standards. point PARCC and Smarter Balanced had admin- Both CCSS and the ACA have also been ham- istered hundreds of thousands of field tests of pered by rocky rollouts. The troubles with the the new assessments. The assessments certain- healthcare.gov website have been covered ex- ly face more obstacles on the road to implemen- 3 | APRIL 2014 shutterstock.com Here&Now Tech + Online + Industry + Partnership American Students Ahead the 85,000 students who participated in this particular Social Learning: From of the Curve on PISA assessment. Those students represented 44 nations Web 2.0 to Social 3.0 Problem-Solving Scores that participated in the 2012 assessment, most of Mobilists Cathie By David Nagel whom are members of the Organization for Economic Norris and Elliot There’s actually good news about American education Cooperation and Development, also known as OECD. PRESS Soloway discuss coming out of the Program for International Student The complete numbers, which can be found on nces. PLAY mobile education’s Assessment (PISA), the triennial international ed.gov, show that about four-fifths of American shift from the asynchronous conversation of Web 2.0 to assessment that ranks countries based on their 15-year-olds are at or above minimal proficiency the synchronous conversation of what their colleague students’ proficiency in math, science and language (proficiency level 2) in problem-solving, with the Kevin Crosby has named Social 3.0. The new paradigm arts (as measured by standardized tests). remaining 18.2 percent below that level. includes video chatting on mobile devices using In data released this month from the 2012 According to a report released by OECD, “Fifteen- FaceTime, Skype or Google Hangouts — as well as international assessment, on average 15-year-old year-olds in the United States perform strongest on Norris and Soloway’s new free app YesWeKhan, which students from the United States showed a greater interactive tasks, compared to students of similar allows students to chat while watching the same Khan degree of proficiency in problem-solving, in particular overall performance in other countries. Interactive tasks Academy video. on tasks for which they are required to uncover require students to uncover some of the information information in order to solve the problem, than their needed to solve the problem themselves. This suggests [ webinars] peers from other countries. that students in the United States are open to novelty, Is Your WiFi Network Ready U.S. students, with an average score of 508, didn’t tolerate doubt and uncertainty, and dare to use intuition for Online Testing? rank highest in to initiate a solution.” As the fall deadline for Common Core testing problem-solving, On the downside, when American students were approaches, school districts need to make sure that their but they did compared to those from the highest-performing nations network can handle the deluge of devices and traffic beat the average (Singapore, Korea and Japan), the largest gaps were that the new assessments will create. Get a game plan proficiency seen in “tasks where students must select, organi[z]e for putting your network in order with help from Jeffrey score (500) of and integrate the information and feedback received in Jennings, SLED Contracts/E-rate Manager at Xirrus. order to represent and formulate their understanding of Sponsored by Xirrus OECD has made a handful of sample questions from the problem-solving test available to the public. the problem.” Read the full story. New and archived webinars are available at thejournal.com. 4 | APRIL 2014 Here&Now GRADUATE TO A BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE EDUCATING TOMORROW’S LEADERS REQUIRES TODAY’S BEST TECHNOLOGY. With online state assessments helping to spark a digital revolution in schools, your students need the right game on originality, overall design and technology to prepare them for digital learning, online testing and the development they’ll need to get to the next {win big!} educational stage. They need devices, applications, digital content and a reliable network to access it all quickly. quality, complexity and enjoyment, as STEM Fuse Asks well as through voting on the STEM Students: ‘Got Game?’ Fuse Arcade. First prize includes a 9/10 $250 Best Buy gift card and a free 69% TEACHERS OF TEACHERS say that the Internet has a major STEM Fuse course subscription (a say educational technology enables them to do impact on their ability to access 1 $1,499 value). Game submissions will “much more than ever before” for students. important teaching materials.2 Curriculum development company be accepted through May 31, 2014, at ONLY 28% STEM Fuse has invited middle- and 5:00 p.m. Central, and winners will be OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS high-school students to compete announced on June 6. have the broadband speed necessary to reliably in its 2014 Spring Got Game? access the Internet. 3 Competition. To enter, students create breaking news games using GameMaker Studio or WE DESIGN IT. WE CONFIGURE IT. WE IMPLEMENT IT. WE SUPPORT IT. WE GET IT. We can help you upgrade your technology so teachers and students have GameMaker Lite. (The Studio version quick and reliable access to educational tools. And our education experience gives us the expertise to help improve your learning environment. is available as a free download here.) The game must be original work by THE PEOPLE the student(s) submitting the entry, Click Here for Breaking News Our dedicated K-12 account managers work exclusively with public and private schools.