Technology, the world and I

Think out loud about my role and technology.
One of the pleasures of travelling in the last eight months is that it allowed me to see how education is being done around the world and to reflect. So, it may shock some people to realize that I have an opinion, some might say I have an opinion on everything and I am so willing to share...so here goes some sharing.
First off let us set the stage, my home is Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. In 1984 SASKTEL completed construction of the world’s longest commercial fibre optics network, which covered 3,268 km to link fifty-two communities at a time when the previous longest fibre optics network had been less than 10 km. English language makes up 54% of the internet language. The penetration of internet users in North America is the greatest in the world at 78.3%. Thanks to a division with future planning, we are now the largest, most successful online school in the province and recognized by many around the world as leaders in online education. To recap, we at this point in time have....
• The fastest network in the world in Saskatchewan
• The number one internet language
• The greatest penetration of internet users
• A world-leading educational institution in online learning.
We are perfectly situated to be world leaders in education technology. All the tools are available to us and everything that has happened in the past has prepared us for today. So what is holding me back? What is stopping me from helping develop the ever-elusive education of the future? In my humble opinion, a mind set.
A positive mind set which has been present in our division since the inception of the cyber school and I thank God frequently for allowing me to play a part in it and to learn from it. But like everything we must continue to review what will help us continue to grow. We are so very lucky to live where we do and have what we have. Thank God for this.
To plan for the future I need to:
• set global goals
• determine what is required to achieve said goals
• continue willingness to allow change
• support trial and error
• expect failure
• plan for success
• put forth monetary and human resources to achieve said goals
• take the big steps
• allow people to do their job (make sure people are aware of what their job are.)
• everything should be about student learning (seems like a simple rule but many school divisions do things in school which are not best for the students)
• To be unafraid to critically look at what I currently do (because I have always done it that way is not necessarily a reason for continuing it.)
• change for change’s sake is not always the best solution, however the belief that change is necessary is the best solution for me.
• study the literature and research to make informed decisions but also be aware that in the information age there is research for any train of thought.
• Plan - but at some time it is necessary to do. Not knowing is what makes it exciting.
• Learn to exist in a world of constant change and exploration.
• The status quo is not acceptable, if I am not willing to explore ways to make things better I have retired - I have just not told anyone.
I do not need to:
• to get caught up in the small details (micro management)
• try to achieve new goals with traditional procedures and resources
• determine why it will fail
• place blame on why it is not possible, anything is possible - it just may not be if I are not willing to explore ways of doing something or looking at new ideas.
• doing it a certain way because it is the easiest way.
• throw out the baby with the bathwater.
• dwell on why it is not possible. Dwell on what is required to make it possible.

The above is not a complete list but it is a start when it comes to my mindsets. (a rule of thumb that works for me, is to ask myself why I would say "no" to an idea and then explore "why not" in my mind. "No" to any idea is a passion killer, (new initiatives succeed because of passion).
The next thought that passed through my mind in the last eight months has been virtual self-imposed walls. (This is an add-on to the thought above..."No" is a wall..."why not" forces one to look at the walls.) I will try to describe some of these walls: The key to education is connection.
• Teacher and Student wall...teachers’ connections to students can be enhanced if I can find any technology which will do the administrative tasks of teaching. Any portion of the teaching day that is used doing administrative work is time away from being connected to the students.
• Teaching wall...if a teacher spends the whole day presenting material they then do not spend any time connecting with their students. Find ways to help present material via technology.
• Curriculum wall... the day our cell phone was capable of telling us what the answer to the how far it is from Toronto to Vancouver it was not necessary for us to teach it. Knowing how to find the answer to such a question is the valuable skills of the information age.
• Subject walls... English courses are silo, they do not teach anything in the course other than English. Just an example (sorry to pick on English, you can replace it with any subject you wish). Combining subject to create engagement will crumble the walls, technology allows teachers to track projects across distance, time and curriculum.
• Grade wall...students are broken up into levels based on age, not on ability. Someone who is working at a grade 7 math level may not be at a grade 7 English. Technology will allow one to stream individual students programs. Cohorts of students may still be compiled based on age but what they are working on in school may in no way be similar. Technology has the ability to make this happen in an age student grouping cohort in a room.
• Age wall...Anyone in the province who wishes to achieve their grade 12 diploma should be able to access what we offer at no expense. The cost of this education should be shouldered by the province as they will recoup the expense in taxes in the future via a greater employment rate. I need to find a way to make this happen.
• Classroom wall... when teachers enter their classroom they close the door, virtual or otherwise to the outside world and they create an environment, which although easier to administer and control does not mirror the world in which their clients (students) live. I need to find ways to help them remove the walls and allow the outside world to invade their classroom. Technology has the ability to bring in experts, other classrooms, cultures and worlds.
• School walls... the silos of schools is a wall. Student in the school should be collaboration on projects with the community and other schools. If students are not allowed to explore and use the world outside their school walls they are being sheltered. Technology has the ability to replace many of the fieldtrips of the past. Security is important but not at the expense of realistic experiences. The internet is a massive library which is a resource, which should not be ignored just because it has an adult section. Supervision and awareness makes it possible to effectively use this resource. Blocking is not considered supervision it a wall. I need to work on way to utilize the internet and remove the walls that stop that from happening.
• Division walls... sharing what we do great would allow us to share what others are doing great as well. Celebrating everything we do by sharing is the christian way. We have so much to offer others in this world that we should be promoting what we do well, and let other less fortunate benefit from our God given talents and situation which they might not be lucky enough to have.
• Provincial walls… having the need for everything we do being Saskatchewan-made is a waste, there is no need to re-invent the wheel. Connect and share. We in Saskatchewan do many things better than others. They would be very excited to share with us their strengths as well.
• Country walls... sharing between countries would be a very exciting method of welcoming the concept as it is a small world after all. Connecting to a pupil, school or country is as easy as connecting to someone in the next room. It is just my mind set. I need to lead and place myself in a situations to offer and celebrate what we do with others in the world.
• Cloud wall...I need to explore the new concept of cloud computing. I do not need to control everything in technology, there are more and more free options coming available which truly are safe, viable options that other school divisions around the world are implementing and integrating. I need to explore this for my personal web stuff as well as what it might offer for the cyber school.
• The ownership wall...I do not have to supply every technological tool that is used in a classroom. If we allowed students and teachers to bring their own tech to school, my tech budget would be big enough to cover the students who do not have their own as well as supply the tools that teachers need.
• Pride wall... I need to make sure that the decisions that I make are not made because someone has ventured into my area. This issue arises often because of my gray areas of duties. A clean structure of duties will allow people to be aware of who they approach. I need to share this structure within the cyber school. Flame the ideas and passion, embrace the skills of the professional teachers, do not squash. Many of the ideas cost nothing or very little. Create an environment of exploration, because we are venturing into an unknown future.
• Skill wall... allowing my teachers to not use technology because they do not know how to use it is an excuse. A project in which the students have the task of handing in a video or essay does not mean we have to show them how to use the video recorder or even have the video recorder. It just means they have the option and it they wish to learn the skills they can. Do not assume that teachers need to know everything; support collaboration which will allow others to help ...Sage on the stage, guide on the side
• Paper wall... We all think that having a paper copy of something is necessary...digitize it and back it up and it is way more secure than a paper in a folder and much easier to find. Our paper has decreased I need to continue to embrace this concept.
• Brush wall... I do not need to paint everyone with the same brush that is not sustainable, some need more than others, embrace the differences. Promote and support the differences. Life is not fair.

Well that is enough walls for now. I ask myself, “How do I achieve this?” Simply saying that technology is a priority doesn’t make it so, I need to help make it a reality . Every penny that is spent on education technology should be filtered on the following...
• Does it make the teachers administrative jobs easier?
• Does it benefit learning?
• It will not be building a wall?
A "yes" to each of the above questions will embrace the future.
Ok, the other thought that bounced around my head was... the difference between IT and ET. IT deals with the business of education, like payroll, attendance of students, grades, reports ect. Some of the activities which fall under the IT department directly affect the classroom and for those the IT department will have to work in sync with the ET department, but everything that does not get into the classroom is not part of this thought. ET should be a teacher-led department. In too many school divisions around the world, educational technology is being driven by programmers and computer people. It is very scary when programmers are deciding which is the best technology to put into classrooms or which programs are the best to teach with... An ET department should set the goals and then IT should be hired to make it happen. If it is the desire to use Youtube for the project in the schools, IT should do everything humanly possible to make it happen. In no way should I be able to do something at home and not be able to replicate it in our schools. Too often teachers around the world plan an educational project in their homes and then when they venture to the schools they have to change it completely because this site is blocked, or the internet speed is not fast enough, or the equipment is not available. IT, when supporting the ET, should do their best not to suggests ways to change a project, they should be doing everything they can to make it happen for the passionate educator. These departments can be the same, but there is two distinct roles, one is administrative the other is support. We in our division has done a very good job in a changing environment, we just need to continue to recognize the need for change and continue to support it. I need to do my best to help others understand that difference, clarity will help bring technology into the classroom.
Google, who presently is the pinnacle of companies, does an activity which has taught me a lot and is a lesson for others. They collect the finest programmers they can afford (like we do with our teachers). 80% of their day is dedicated to working the job of programming Google's plan. The other 20% of their time, they are allowed to work on a project of their choice. Google search is the company's plan. Google maps, earth, docs, scholar, etc are all benefits from allowing professions to spread their wings. They have structured their business to promote initiative and support the professionals they have working for them. I need to adopt this mindset, allow our professional to flame their passions and develop an educational environment the likes of which has never been seen.
Then I need to celebrate more, promote our successes - all of them.

Darren Cannell - World Tour: UPDATE V

Virtual School Meandering has been great posting my entries about our tour and I have be slacking off on the postings. My apologies to all who have been waiting for news. I have found that after the first month or so the travelling administrator just became the administrator. You get into a routine and you find it is just like working at home. Not super exciting just work. My son and wife have faithfully been posting when we travel but since we have gotten into the Caribbean we have been relaxing and doing less sight seeing.

I will summarize this whole trip as we get back home in three weeks or so...end of may.

Thanks all for following.
Darren Cannell - World Tour: UPDATE V « Virtual School Meanderings

Combine three images

Using the ipad I drew three different birds...an eagle, an owl and a hawk.

I then combined all three of them together...I kind of like the effect..

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Darren Cannell - World Tour: UPDATE IV

Darren Cannell - World Tour: UPDATE IV « Virtual School Meanderings

Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef - Nadine's Travel Journal

Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef - Nadine's Travel Journal

Ipod drawing stylus

Ok I finally finished this drawing. It turns out to my shock that the brush stylus was very effective for doing the hair texture on the tiger. It does not work for fine details but for hair, who way easy to use. I will continue to try the different stylus that I have and we will see what I can create using my ipod...Hope you like my tiger.

Day 2 in Delhi, India - Nadine's Travel Journal

We next went to Old Delhi which was originally the city of Delhi and surrounded by walls and 14 gates. Some of the walls and gates still stand today. It is more hectic in the Old City due to narrower roads and tighter spaces. I loved taking pictures of all of the people going about their daily lives which is so different than Canada. We visited the Mosque which is the largest in India and it was a rather drab red sandstone building and it was surprisingly extremely dirty. All the mosques that we have been in so far have been spotless. I really did not want to be walking around with my stocking feet but I had no choice. You remove your shoes as a sign of respect and women receive a complimentary ugly robe to wear.

Day 2 in Delhi, India - Nadine's Travel Journal

Ipod drawing stylus problem

So, I am half way through drawing this lion...



When my Cellydesign ipod stylus dies, the rubber tip tears



and I am searching all over Bali, running through Kuala Lumpur between flights cannot find an electronic store, then Brunei. In Brunei I tried 7 different stores, cell phone, electronics, electronic games and hardware stores and no luck...then I come across a booth in the mall they have three no names, knock off maybe...

a sweeper...:) 6 dollars



a wedge shape...:) 6 dollars



a big rubber nib...:) 6 dollars



That is less than I paid for my first one...I will let you know what I think...

I really did like the Cellydesign but it did not last...so if anyone knows someone at that company drop them a note and let them know I really like the touch but it broke...:(

Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa the tallest building in the world - Nadine's Travel Journal

Beautiful mall and huge, technically it would be one of the biggest malls in the world if not the biggest mall in the world at 1200 shops. This mall is at the base of the tallest building in the world the Burj Khalifa.

Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa the tallest building in the world - Nadine's Travel Journal

Increase your wifi: how to

During this world tour I am still working and the internet is so very important for me to be successful. I am so tired of paying for wifi, that I have been searching for ways to increase my wifi signal. In a video someone was talking about increase the signal by wrapping your phone in a ethernet cable or something...so I thought...hey why not...try this...it worked...

It increase my signal by two bars...so try it out...drop me a comment and let me know what you found.

Driving to Jordan Valley Marriott by the Dead Sea - Nadine's Travel Journal

We let Reanne - our GPS decide which route to take over to highway 65 and Reanne chooses a cow path up and over the mountains, I nicknamed it Death Road. When you are manoeuvring around the large potholes you have to go precariously close to the edges and I am a bit phobic about roads like this. The views were quite stunning and there were times that we were driving only 2 kms per hour. We were the only car on the trail all of the rest were trucks and four wheel drives.

Driving to Jordan Valley Marriott by the Dead Sea - Nadine's Travel Journal

Petra - Jordan - Nadine's Travel Journal

Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is often described as the 'Rose City'. It is said that Petra is one of the 40 places that you should see before you die and I would definitely agree. You walk down into this canyon where there is a narrow path, enough for two carriages to pass and both sides are flanked by steep rock canyon walls of various colors mixed into its walls. Along the path there are sculptures, doors, windows and steps carved into the walls. To fully explore this city you need to walk at least 5 kms, but it is all worth it.

Petra - Jordan - Nadine's Travel Journal

Ipad drawing...getting better at it.

The Ipad is one great drawing tool as I practice more and more, I find it flexible responsive and combines a lot of different art tools...

And I do not have to carry all of those around as I travel...way cool...thanks IPad

From ipad renders

Day 2 Cairo - Nadine's Travel Journal

We had a wakeup call for 3:30 am to be ready for our 4:30 pick up for our early morning camel rides alongside the pyramids. We drove to some stables in the middle of the city to see and pet and feed some pure Arabian horses. We then got on our camels which I named mine Madonna and we walked past a very stinky dump and then up onto the sand dunes. It was very cold and you needed mitts

Day 2 Cairo - Nadine's Travel Journal

Arrive into Cairo at 5:40 am in the dark or was that the pollution? - Nadine's Travel Journal

I was a bit confused to find out that there are allot more pyramids in Cairo than just the Giza pyramids. There are actually 120 pyramids in all of Egypt. We first of all went to Dahshur Pyramid and this was really cool because we got to go down inside to the chambers inside of the pyramid. You have to go down a steep embankment with 2" steel rods as steps. The ceiling height was high enough for Daxtin to go down front ways. It was easier for me with my height to go backwards. It was a good hamstring workout and I enjoyed it, but it is a bit creepy because you are going backwards into a very dark and extremely musty crypt.

Arrive into Cairo at 5:40 am in the dark or was that the pollution? - Nadine's Travel Journal

World Tour: UPDATE III « Virtual School Meanderings

Darren Cannell - World Tour: UPDATE III « Virtual School Meanderings

Ipad Renderings

I have been playing with my Ipad and drawing images while travelling...it is so much easier than carrying around a watercolor paint set.



Some of my drawings can be seen at Ipad renderings

Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa - Nadine's Travel Journal

We flew from Joburg to Port Elizabeth so that we could begin the famous Garden Route drive and see Addo. Addo Elephant Park was an unbelievable experience that we all had. Addo has one of the largest concentrations of elephant populations on planet earth and it is spectacular to see the antics of the elephants in their daily lives. We did a self-drive safari again because then we can control what we do and what we see not to mention how much less expensive it is. We saw lone bulls and whole herds of elephants. The largest being over 50 and it is intimidating when they are all moving towards you as a group, thank goodness for the gas acceleration on the car. We were driving along and we came across a herd of 20 -30 moving across the road so we just stopped and watched babies and their moms meander across the road with only one care and that is the constant predator watch to protect their young. Darren got me so close to the one that came up my side of the car that I just gasped and held my breath as he walked up the side of the car to the front and looked at us and kept walking.

Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa - Nadine's Travel Journal

Kruger National Park - South Africa - Nadine's Travel Journal

We drove along and noticed that there were four safari jeeps full of people in the distance and at Kruger everyone stops where anyone has already stopped because that means that there is something to see. We were going to drive past the 4 safari jeeps and pull up on the end to watch then Chelsea screams there is a lion. Darren had his arm literally hanging out of the window which you are not supposed to do at any time. It turns out that there was a male and a female lion directly on the side of the road and when we actually noticed them was when we were literally 2 feet away and I gasped and Darren yanked his arm in and did the window up quickly and stopped. I was in shock I think, because I could not even pull up my camera to take a shot. We realized that this is what everyone had stopped for and we were blocking there view.

Kruger National Park - South Africa - Nadine's Travel Journal