tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21006926268495635492024-02-07T04:25:54.473-08:00This and Thatthoughts on technology, change, leadership, and happenings in today's worldJon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-56745886401390032552019-11-24T15:38:00.000-08:002019-11-24T15:42:05.620-08:00Round 2<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre;">Continued...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I hope you enjoyed </span><a href="https://jcastelhanothisandthat.blogspot.com/2019/11/reflection-if-there-is-one-constant.html" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;" target="_blank">Round 1</a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> and took some time to do a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">bit of reflecting. For another perspective on the benefits of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">reflection, take a listen to <a href="https://youtu.be/siQwuDe07co" target="_blank">John Maxwell</a> and his take on</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">reflection turning experience into insight. Enjoy round 2!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre;">Communication Systems</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Usually the answer you hear when someone poses the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">question how can our organization be better, is</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">communication </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">needs to be improved. It is important to
remember that communication is a two way street. You can't
force someone to listen to your communication, but you should
do your best to provide communication in a number of ways </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">that reaches your community. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The GPS Marketing and Communication </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">team is a small </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">but powerful group that has put in place a number of tools </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">that allow the district, departments, and schools to </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">communicate with stakeholders on a large scale. Besides </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">a newly implemented website that is constructed to be the </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">one source of truth for the parents and community, it also </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">includes a messaging system that disseminates information </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">via e-mail and text to parents and guardians. Each </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">school
also has tools to distribute site information through </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">online
newsletters and teachers can directly communicate </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">via e-mail with parents and guardians through the district </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">student information system. Each school has the ability to </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">use these tools as they choose and decide what works best </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">for their community.
From an IT perspective, t</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">he biggest challenge with any
communication system is </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">parent and guardian support.
It is challenging to assist these </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">groups on devices not owned
by the district. The schools </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">and Technology Services do
their best to assist so that these </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">communications reach them.
Our help desk staff is also </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">great at assisting with most issues.
</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;">
<b style="white-space: pre;"><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="white-space: pre;"><b>Data Governance</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="white-space: pre;">Data governance is a very relevant topic at this time with protecting</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="white-space: pre;">user </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">data from unauthorized access, proper data agreements with </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">third party resources, and educating users on the importance of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">protecting their information from non trusted sources. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-e89d0bf6-7fff-aa90-2f83-abd7313aed69"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-e89d0bf6-7fff-aa90-2f83-abd7313aed69"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">User data for any organization should be protected using best practice
methods and continually reviewed for any needed adjustments. Districts should not hesitate to work with outside consultants for assistance in maintaining these best practices and configuration setups. Staying connected with cybersecurity organizations for the latest information on know vulnerabilities, updating all systems, and educating end users is critical for staying protected from threats. </span></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-e89d0bf6-7fff-aa90-2f83-abd7313aed69">
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e89d0bf6-7fff-aa90-2f83-abd7313aed69"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-family: arial;">Data Access</b></span></div>
</span><span id="docs-internal-guid-86817fdc-7fff-3165-2ad8-67da6cb89af0"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The GPS Accountability and Assessment department works closely with
all GPS schools in assisting them on how to best use collected data to guide instruction and improvement. District and state-level assessment information is reviewed in the department, presented at the Cabinet and school leadership level and used as a tool in discussion around increasing and shaping possible strategies for student improvement.
</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">
Our Technology Services Information Systems team has built an internal database that assessment data can be imported along with other student demographic information. We have recently begun using a data analytics tools to build visualizations based on the needs of stakeholders. This allows for years of data to be looked at in a visually pleasing format and easy studying of trends based on different areas of selection. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre;">Ethics and Policies</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">One very notable piece of federal legislation passed in 2000 by Congress </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">is the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">CIPA imposes certain </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">requirements on schools or libraries that receive discounts for Internet </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">access or internal connections through the E-rate program – a program </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">that makes certain communications services and products more </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">affordable for eligible schools and libraries. In early 2001, the FCC issued </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">rules implementing CIPA and provided updates to those rules in 2011.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">GPS takes part in the E-rate program and provides content filtering to </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">protect our students as best we can. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">
The GPS Technology Services team feels we have an obligation to provide a Digital </span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Citizenship curriculum to all students in GPS. We have partnered with </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Common Sense Media to provide an extensive curriculum for our teachers </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to use with our students K-12 and it is an expectation that this is done each </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">year. Technology Services has also partnered this school year with the </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">GPS K-12 Prevention Coordinator, who oversees the district </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">social workers and counselors who assist our schools with the digital </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">citizenship program. We feel as a district that the social and emotional </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">well-being of our students is a priority and aspects of technology including</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">social media can often play a part in that area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre;">Promising Technology Ahead</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I always find the what's the next big thing question difficult to answer, so I </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">did appreciate this heading.
</span><br />
<span id="docs-internal-guid-bdf4aa6c-7fff-f44d-c350-72da848974f0"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-bdf4aa6c-7fff-f44d-c350-72da848974f0"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">AZ Computer Science Standards-this will provide the roadmap needed for actual implementation in K-12 schools. The challenge, although not insurmountable, is teacher understanding and development and how computational thinking can be used across the curriculum. </span></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-bdf4aa6c-7fff-f44d-c350-72da848974f0">
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Learning models-It still seems there are struggles with different learning models due to the structure of the school funding system. GPS Global Academy is being creative with a couple of unique blended learning models and the outcomes are promising. The structure of bell schedules and traditional practices are still somewhat of a barrier in my opinion.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">
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</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Artificial intelligence-AI and machine learning have crept into most </span></div>
</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">aspects of our lives when it comes to determining our next purchase </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">or what political flavor society falls into. It remains to be seen how </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">this technology will benefit the K-12 learning environment so </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">we can catch areas of needed remediation or enrichment for our </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">students. This topic will also continue to bring into the spotlight the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">ethical questions behind the technology. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"><b>Next Round...</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Each one of the topics from round 1 and 2 could be stand alone
discussions that would easily fill a page. It was a good exercise
to put these thoughts down on paper, think a bit deeper about them,
and find celebrations and areas that could use improvement. With the
intention not to sound like a broken record, I will state again, w</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ithout
taking the time to give serious thought to our daily decisions and
practice, improving them will be difficult and the same results will be
achieved.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> Thanks for reading!</span></div>
</div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-15490608084016456882019-11-19T16:18:00.000-08:002019-11-19T16:36:51.853-08:00Round 1<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Reflection </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If there is one constant over the years that I have found most valuable for growth and improvement is reflection. Without taking the time to give serious thought to our daily decisions and practice, improving them will be difficult and the same results will be achieved. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the years I have been asked to answer questions around technology for peers working on their higher education degrees. The questions are usually similar enough that It is enjoyable to look back and see how my answers have changed and also create a blog post out of it, cause why not. I am going to split this one up as it was quite lengthy, enjoy! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; white-space: pre;">Leadership and Vision</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The biggest hurdle to developing a shared vision for technology use in today’s K-12 landscape is the divide between the Teaching and Learning and Information Technology departments. Historically the goals of these two areas have not been communicated to one another and the communication breakdown will lead to a lack of understanding of what is important for planning a meaningful and effective path for technology integration and a safe online learning environment for users.
</span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In Gilbert Public Schools we have an organizational chart that</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">allows for all-district departments
to be represented at the Cabinet-level <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">including the Teaching and Learning
and Information Technology <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">departments. Having the Executive
Directors and Assistant Superintendents </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">at the table allows for each area
to be represented, communicate their needs </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">and understand the importance of
the IT side to ensure a safe network, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">protect student and staff data, and
provide support to meet strategic plan goals.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /><br />Gilbert Public Schools has created
a strategic operating plan that has technology e</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">mbedded to achieve the ultimate
goal of, success for all students. Each </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">area of focus, safe and supportive
schools, family and community engagement, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">employee excellence, and financial
and operational efficiency all have goals and </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">action items in place that are
measured to monitor progress and allow for modification when </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Technology is embedded in each of
these areas but is only a small piece of supporting our </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">student’s success. Ultimately, it
is the relationship between teachers and students and the support provided by
leadership that will allow us to measure the true success of the
plan. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre;"><b>Team Building and Staffing
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The same philosophy that applies at
the district level for cross-functional departments is necessary within an
Informational Technology team structure. The rapid rate of change that takes
place with technology is difficult to communicate at times and does lead to
issues with bringing awareness to end-users. In the GPS Technology Services
department, there are 5 internal teams to include: IT Customer Care
Specialists, Information Systems, Network and Telecommunications, Systems Administration,
and Instructional Technology. Each leader of these areas plus a Project
Specialist make up the Technology services leadership team. The Executive
Director of Technology meets weekly in a formal meeting with the team and daily
on an informal basis. This team is responsible for working closely with one
another to ensure Technology Services is working collaboratively to support GPS.
One example of this would be the leadership team working with one another to
coordinate occasional cross-functional team meetings. They create an agenda
around issues happening with end-users, ways to address them and share other
problems or successes happening in the field. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">GPS Technology Services has also
established a userXperience team that meets regularly to discuss and make
decisions on existing and future implementations, device functions and features, updates, and other variables as it relates to the end-users
in GPS. This group has representation from all Technology Services departments
and is important to our end user’s success with implementations and
integrations that impact the daily function of staff and students. We have been
able to make changes and roll back changes based on the feedback they bring to
the table representing each area of the department. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><b style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Instructional Focus and Professional Development</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Bringing awareness to all staff members around
emerging technologies and potential issues to protect the network and data
is on-going. I agree with the philosophy of leading from the middle and that everyone
is a leader regardless of their position. We encourage all Technology Services
staff to share ideas, emerging technologies they see and support to everyone
around them. Our Instructional Technology team works closely with
site Principals to present at staff meetings, meet one on one with teachers,
attend grade-level meetings, share a weekly newsletter and any other form
of communication that leads to awareness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Another example from the department
level is our yearly awareness campaign around Computer Science Week. For the last three years, the Technology Services department has provided support around
CS by providing professional development activities, meet-ups, video
campaigns, and support for our teachers to bring CS into their
classrooms. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">There is not a one size fits all
approach with learning and the same applies to the technology that can support
the educational outcomes our teachers want for our students. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b>Round 2</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Thanks
for taking the time to read a bit on what started as assisting a friend with
their doctorate assignment to gaining a little glimpse of how we do things in Technology Services. There is not any secret sauce being served up
here, just a good group of individuals working together for students. See you
soon for Round 2. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-3484914569997249302019-06-14T16:53:00.001-07:002019-06-14T16:53:07.307-07:00Wrap IT Up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Transformation</b><br />
There is always buzz at conferences when certain people are scheduled to speak and Cisco Live was no exception. This having been my first time in attendance I wasn't aware of some of the names being talked about at the snack stations, but a couple names continually came in conversation, one being Guillermo Diaz, SVP.CIO of Cisco. The ITM hall was filled when Guillermo took the stage for his "Harnessing the Power of Transformation and Why it's Good for Business and You" presentation. Guillermo is not an overly exaggerated bouncing around the stage kind of presenter, but quite the opposite. He has a very calm demeanor with what appears to be a genuine personality. Change and digital transformation continued to be the on-going topic and Guillermo and his guest speakers provided more takeaways worth noting below.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>IT is at the foundation of any business</li>
<li>Change will happen by us, with us, to us</li>
<li>Change is changing</li>
<li>Digital transformation is the #1 thought of every manufacturer in the world</li>
<li>3% of the Cisco manufacturing budget is spent on sustained transformation and experimentation</li>
<li>Transformation is not an event, but a perpetual leadership task<br /></li>
</ul>
Each of the takeaways I have listed above could be broken down, discussed, and written about for quite some time. Take a little time to process and decide what they have in common, how do they relate to you as a leader, and your organization.<br /><div>
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<b>Captain Mike</b></div>
<div>
The last keynote for the IT Management group was Captain Michael Abrashoff, motivational speaker and former commander of the USS Benfold. Michael is definitely an amazing speaker with a quick wit and experiences that are very relatable and inspirational. I quickly found common ground when he made a statement about getting caught up in trying to change things not in our control. He used an example that he could have blamed the Navy for giving him command of the lowest ranked ship in the fleet, but he knew that if things were going to change, he had to focus on what was in the crew and his control. <br />Often when things are difficult or in disarray we get caught up into looking for something or someone to blame things on, instead, look inward, evaluate, and focus. </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Transformation is about putting yourself in the right position to control your own destiny</li>
<li>Engage people to have the same sense of urgency as you have</li>
<li>Provide sense of ownership</li>
<li>Stop obsessing over what you can't change</li>
<li>No one is a born leader, it's a lifelong journey</li>
<li>Excellent without arrogance</li>
<li>It's your ship (you'll have to read his book for this one ;)</li>
</ul>
<b><br />Cisco Live A++<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had a great week at my first Cisco Live event and have many takeaways from both the product side and the leadership track. Combining both areas and learning about the operating strategies and road map of a 50 billion dollar company was educational and highly recommended. I look forward to the continued partnership with Cisco and our journey in Gilbert Public Schools with the implementation of Webex collaboration tools, transformation in the making. </div>
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Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-69304884212171272592019-06-12T10:42:00.002-07:002019-06-12T11:47:16.362-07:00World of Solutions <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Ask Chuck!</b><br />
Another exciting start on Tuesday with Chuck Robbins, Chairman & CEO of Cisco Systems, having an exclusive Q&A with the ITM group. Many CEO's of organizations as large as Cisco would shy away from this type of situation, but he did not, and answered all questions directly. His answers were filled with great takeaways, here are a few.<br />
<ul>
<li> Find some place you love and work there</li>
<li>If you want people to believe in the destination, they have to believe in you today</li>
<li>Leaders are responsible for making sure the right strategy is built, then reverse the org chart and support the team</li>
</ul>
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<b>Cognitive Collaboration</b></div>
<div>
I'm sure you are wondering if the day two keynote gathering started off with an amazing series of music and lights and the short answer is yes. If every gathering of employees could start off with this same pre-show, your staff morale would definitely improve :). However the light show wasn't the main reason, I was interested in listening to Amy Chang, the SVP/GM of Collaboration for Cisco Systems. One of the challenges in K-12 education in my view is finding ways for teachers to easily get out of the four walls of their classroom and connect with other educators, attend professional development, and collaborate efficiently. Gilbert Public Schools is beginning to implement Webex and the changes and integrations are of great interest right now to provide our end users the best experience possible. Amy is a dynamic speaker, has great energy and provided valuable information on the roadmap for Webex. I appreciated her statement that her team is building bridges not islands, as it reinforces my broken record phrase I like to use with my team, you can not be an island as it keeps growth from happening. </div>
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<b>The Abyss</b><br />
If you have attended any large conference you have visited the sponsor area that can be overwhelming and often intimidating as you try not to make eye contact with the sea of vendors. I found the World of Solutions to be a nice mix of vendors and Cisco product area demonstrations and talks. I was able to speak with Google about their future Webex integration that will be key for our organization. Being a G Suite for education district, the integration with Webex would greatly enhance the collaboration ability for our teachers and staff. Another area of great interest is with Cisco's Room Kit products and a nice demonstration was done to highlight some of the capabilities. I also walked out with a couple pairs of socks, how can you go wrong!Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-39807514032579001412019-06-10T17:50:00.000-07:002019-06-10T17:51:00.367-07:00Ready.....Go!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDR57hfnzSxIzP8Tzir457xrW0QHkz4ryXtaxHI9KrxzXAGHwjleCyEitQNc9Tgr3wOKxBOVldwxdq8JOmXSvR7gvUC9InIjhDyaindRxIY2_xd9CHj5irTyI4-3PjAwMRfwb2McPRiMMl/s1600/IMG_1516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDR57hfnzSxIzP8Tzir457xrW0QHkz4ryXtaxHI9KrxzXAGHwjleCyEitQNc9Tgr3wOKxBOVldwxdq8JOmXSvR7gvUC9InIjhDyaindRxIY2_xd9CHj5irTyI4-3PjAwMRfwb2McPRiMMl/s320/IMG_1516.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>"You Make Possible"</b><br />
My first day at Cisco Live was off to a great start with arriving for the opening keynote from Chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems, <a href="https://twitter.com/ChuckRobbins" target="_blank">Chuck Robbins</a>, to an exciting setup using what else but technology to choreograph music and lights to hype the crowd. Shortly into his address, he made the statement, "technology is at the heart of everything", which is hard to disagree with. A number of top Cisco leaders spoke on different areas during the keynote presentation including enterprise networking, IoT, innovation in DNA center, and how AI and ML will assist with the complexity in our networks.<br />
<br />
<b>"Pace of Change"</b><br />
As the day has quickly rolled on, the IT Management track fired up and has been filled with thought provoking sessions and speakers. One in particular that I enjoyed was Susan Gueli, SVP/CIO of Infrastructure & Operations and Digital Transformation & Enterprise Applications for Nationwide. She started with discussing the exponential pace of change by using a grain of rice example, which says to take a checkerboard and start with two grains of ride and double every other square and after 64 squares, she threw out a number I can't even pronounce, but let's just say you have lots of rice. It puts into perspective the challenges in front of us as we deal with the rapid pace that technology continues to change our landscape. Another takeaway from Susan's talk that I appreciated was "focus first on what you know, not what you don't know". Her point was to let what you know propel you forward and tackle the "what you don't know" along the way.<br />
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<b>Girl Power</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8mZexa-XES-pd0OLwMY0VSLrE80b9rPjg-DincOHSlCDb5_UvCwUrEbebfevVZbBxBGRYkmTQZRADIjlaXCys7oiBJ9oz01OP5LIpNIgE1i1zTIOg1v6Ogfmy6-pa8QGAicncRNO_J7V/s1600/IMG_1527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8mZexa-XES-pd0OLwMY0VSLrE80b9rPjg-DincOHSlCDb5_UvCwUrEbebfevVZbBxBGRYkmTQZRADIjlaXCys7oiBJ9oz01OP5LIpNIgE1i1zTIOg1v6Ogfmy6-pa8QGAicncRNO_J7V/s1600/IMG_1527.jpg" /></a></b></div>
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</b>A first for Cisco Live was a group of high school girls from Arizona's Paradise Valley School District presenting on cyber security. Their knowledge and wisdom was very evident and one of the girls comments on how it is going to take the perspective from more than just one group of individuals to solve problems was very profound. </div>
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<b>Employee Tenure</b><br />
The last session I attended today was Leading Talent in the Digital Age, presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/scadigan" target="_blank">Steve Cadigan</a>, Talent Expert, Collaborated End Users. Steve's a great public speaker and was very engaging in his delivery and content. His shared examples of today's workforce and the challenges with employee tenure were relevant and informative. One of Steve's examples of retaining employees was a company that reversed the bring your child to work day and instead had a bring your parents to work day. Think about that for a moment, he said the companies retention went up.Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-38915911334022944012019-06-09T15:12:00.000-07:002019-06-09T15:12:10.347-07:00First BBQ: Cisco Live<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVY-B7lBGO4f6I-_y6mL08SRtbSvWAxQKTFdY9kLexO1-qRtUAmTTtUc9UBaDDTxproBCQSwmIKH6eiDmKcdT0ozTjJzIgxohDOnsYhOyuX4ydDQqiuZbCrMq4fg0mnQMEvj4SY6lpSoRT/s1600/cisco.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVY-B7lBGO4f6I-_y6mL08SRtbSvWAxQKTFdY9kLexO1-qRtUAmTTtUc9UBaDDTxproBCQSwmIKH6eiDmKcdT0ozTjJzIgxohDOnsYhOyuX4ydDQqiuZbCrMq4fg0mnQMEvj4SY6lpSoRT/s200/cisco.png" width="200" /></a><b>Newbie</b><br />
<div>
This year will be my first visit to <a href="https://www.ciscolive.com/us.html" target="_blank">Cisco Livc</a>, taking place in cool San Diego, California! Although the dry AZ heat has not fully kicked in yet, the thermometer has been on the rise and it is always nice to visit any city on the coast. As you have probably already deduced from the post title, this is my first time attending Cisco Live and from what I have been told, it is a fun filled learning experience that should not be missed. </div>
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<b>The Track</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JvVEmTMbgF6e7Ngx2xR3Vcu6xO1JYpr5ohcJ3eKSDH8gI8noWB0ujWBUF0xKQm5O3-PisL-UY3rcorboYkn2ml1Mu04pPgJ12ikWXWV4g9KJL-igxeGM0SFmyH0KcXo9OsT_a9IBbW6R/s1600/IMG_1492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JvVEmTMbgF6e7Ngx2xR3Vcu6xO1JYpr5ohcJ3eKSDH8gI8noWB0ujWBUF0xKQm5O3-PisL-UY3rcorboYkn2ml1Mu04pPgJ12ikWXWV4g9KJL-igxeGM0SFmyH0KcXo9OsT_a9IBbW6R/s200/IMG_1492.jpg" width="150" /></a></b></div>
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Having attended ISTE for many years, another very large conference with more of an educational technology focus, I understand how easy it is to spend time aimlessly walking around lost if you don't have somewhat of a plan. Instead of spending endless hours looking through the session catalog I was given a tip to sign up for the IT Management Track as a starting point. This turned out to be a great piece of advice as the schedule actually fell very in line with sessions I would have chosen. The session filter has also been beneficial in filtering by category and allowing me to find collaboration and security sessions that I am interested in for this maiden voyage to the event. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9v3pT55RED6nlgVye8ujwmOM0wUcZQipXO9Db-2UPEHlcIkwv1q48ol9NhmApo9LPtNxgK14W2MSaSD3XKZn7dgvuSTI1AJ2R-KEgRP6AJgtFAqEpp7ApWA4K9uAqyZIN_6_Fivq53i56/s1600/IMG_1494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="236" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9v3pT55RED6nlgVye8ujwmOM0wUcZQipXO9Db-2UPEHlcIkwv1q48ol9NhmApo9LPtNxgK14W2MSaSD3XKZn7dgvuSTI1AJ2R-KEgRP6AJgtFAqEpp7ApWA4K9uAqyZIN_6_Fivq53i56/s200/IMG_1494.jpg" width="147" /></a></div>
<b>Keep Posted</b></div>
<div>
I am going to do my best to post a daily update from the event as a way to do that quick reflection that is key to getting the most out of any event or professional development. With the enormous amount of content being presented this week, it is easy to be exposed to much and remember little, so use a system that works for you. <br />
In the short time I have been here I have already had the opportunity to build my very own lego dude, that is a sign of great things to come. #clus @CiscoLive </div>
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Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-57629376642174127372018-11-25T15:23:00.001-08:002018-11-25T18:48:00.079-08:00Password Envy<b>123456<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdC4vHRFkau99uXVkxO8ZGwUnOusODq-vL6Iwb93fCBow54haxmEXef-4shnwJ6oJUsJn7Yc2VOxWK4Y8T3L5dh4oAtY_ro6OTpet7sjQ9w7z7-hCF6Nq-kBvPj-vZdkphWqsA60k6lBA/s1600/passwor_sm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAdC4vHRFkau99uXVkxO8ZGwUnOusODq-vL6Iwb93fCBow54haxmEXef-4shnwJ6oJUsJn7Yc2VOxWK4Y8T3L5dh4oAtY_ro6OTpet7sjQ9w7z7-hCF6Nq-kBvPj-vZdkphWqsA60k6lBA/s1600/passwor_sm.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Marco Verch CC By 2.0</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">
</span></b><br />
<div>
You guessed it, "123456" is the most commonly used password of 2017, followed by "password" in the runner-up spot. SplashData releases their annual list of the worst passwords based on their collection of over 5 million passwords leaked by hackers, according to a <a href="http://fortune.com/2017/12/19/the-25-most-used-hackable-passwords-2017-star-wars-freedom/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Fortune</a> article posted in December of 2017. Although the 2017 list has been out for a while, it hardly changes from year to year and the struggle to educate users on a good password seems to never go away.<br />
<br />
<b>How Often?</b><br />
Another piece of the password puzzle that is open for debate is how often should we change our passwords. A little research will show that best practices have moved over the years from every 30 days to 90 days and most recently in a released document by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, are recommending the removal of periodic password change requirements. Is it better to never require a password change or require frequent password changes that lead to habits that ultimately make our passwords meaningless? We all know the quickest way to retrieve a password in an office or classroom setting is to first check for the sticky note under the keyboard or in the top drawer of the desk. One step better is when the password is written in Sharpie on the bottom of the keyboard, and if there is a requirement to change passwords often, the previous passwords are crossed out with the newest in plain sight.<br />
<br />
<b>Passphrase or Password?</b><br />
Another practice that NIST recommends moving away from is complex passwords with multiple special characters and number combinations. Extending the number of characters to 64 and encouraging the use of a passphrase to make it easier for the user to remember a passphrase unique to them. I agree with the logic behind this recommendation, however, it must be accompanied with some basic rules to ensure that the passphrase isn't easily compromised by context clues around the user's desk or office. A quote on the wall or a sticky note with my favorite animal in the desk drawer can still be a give away for someone physically looking for a password.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht5dgWwYqhfKh6VYVK6rExvFHYhXrNmzOhMDDD4SK-JY2A7eG_JA6B07dfu1HIo7SyyjBlHBgTk1EbCAdL6Q3oX3gJ8fspE9dvQLXvjNCo8izaYKhsWPMQQtp2dWNneaRVcmFLybMtjB6/s1600/906907450_8281d7f315_q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht5dgWwYqhfKh6VYVK6rExvFHYhXrNmzOhMDDD4SK-JY2A7eG_JA6B07dfu1HIo7SyyjBlHBgTk1EbCAdL6Q3oX3gJ8fspE9dvQLXvjNCo8izaYKhsWPMQQtp2dWNneaRVcmFLybMtjB6/s1600/906907450_8281d7f315_q.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CC BY-NC 2.0 Duncan C</td></tr>
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<b>Weakest Link</b><br />
There are numerous studies that show people are the weakest links in <g class="gr_ gr_112 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" data-gr-id="112" id="112" style="animation: gr__appear_critical 0.4s ease 0s 1 normal forwards running; background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml; background-position: -1px calc(100% + 3px); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: calc(100% + 1px) 100%; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; color: inherit !important; display: inline; font-size: inherit !important;">cybersecurity</g> breaches. Generic passwords, standard new user account passwords, not having a way to require global password changes, and the lack of password education are all areas that we need to address. Each area has its own unique set of challenges but starting with our organization's users will provide a strong front line of defense in the <g class="gr_ gr_34 gr-alert gr_spell gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling ins-del" data-gr-id="34" id="34" style="animation: gr__appear_critical 0.4s ease 0s 1 normal forwards running; background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml; background-position: -1px calc(100% + 3px); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: calc(100% + 1px) 100%; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; color: inherit !important; display: inline; font-size: inherit !important;">cybersecurity</g> battle. Don't wait, have the conversation today! </div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-914786116534708552018-08-26T12:56:00.002-07:002018-08-26T12:56:46.450-07:00Island Life<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjIaKTiENDq25O7YjEiS1z2JypNgEe8nDrRnCGeVS5gUVlwOeVU4MV0s2Z5WBux2xxqgA4g6YLV0TZ2G857CYcGu0FG3neP5UsPN4YrgrfnetvFdAtl8y8HTzry9Suq4ujkpe6hI-7NK5Q/s1600/island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjIaKTiENDq25O7YjEiS1z2JypNgEe8nDrRnCGeVS5gUVlwOeVU4MV0s2Z5WBux2xxqgA4g6YLV0TZ2G857CYcGu0FG3neP5UsPN4YrgrfnetvFdAtl8y8HTzry9Suq4ujkpe6hI-7NK5Q/s200/island.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tropical Paradise</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to talk about island life for a moment and full disclosure, I have never lived on a remote island, so no offense to those who have. Living on a remote tropical island really sounds good though, at least for a short amount of time, but long-term, being on an island can become isolating. Not interacting with others, sharing, and working alongside peers that challenge you, will keep us from growing as individuals and we can become stale.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222;"><b>Stay Fresh</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is easy to become isolated on internal islands within our own technology departments. With the grind that comes with answering help desk tickets and trying to maintain normal daily responsibilities while pushing ahead with additional projects, communication between our peers becomes increasingly more difficult. If we layer on top of that the rapid pace that technology changes and the amount of content generated on a daily basis, the island starts feeling like a safe place to be. We all know however that isolation will not help us solve the problems in front of us, keep us fresh with new ideas, and increase collaboration amongst our peers to better serve our students and staff. <br /> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUf9ovfQPuwdsB4obD2whvAoWJ20qzZBFb0tBgC2Szx7JV-dinnzLXCEZrOuCxV_3guPsiiiYgyluS0_wayACMKQKN3Qb4X-PHyobBmLNXVdQzi0vtnKvbunTr4c6zexv4msOu0v3Dyzw/s1600/weights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="123" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUf9ovfQPuwdsB4obD2whvAoWJ20qzZBFb0tBgC2Szx7JV-dinnzLXCEZrOuCxV_3guPsiiiYgyluS0_wayACMKQKN3Qb4X-PHyobBmLNXVdQzi0vtnKvbunTr4c6zexv4msOu0v3Dyzw/s1600/weights.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><b><span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.1" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">PLN</span> Strong</b></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The concept of a professional learning network has been around for quite some time now and still, in my opinion, the most effective way to connect with peers. The power of a <span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.2" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">PLN</span> is the informal manner that a person can participate, share content as well as consume, and take advantage of a global community. Having a staff that has strong <span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.3" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">PLN's</span> will benefit our internal technology teams that often struggle with getting out and allows that isolated island feeling to creep in. Although the <span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.4" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">PLN</span> and <span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.5" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">PLC</span> terminology is <span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.6" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">synonymous</span> with teachers and administrators, there is a vast community of technology-related professionals waiting to connect. A few places to connect with other technology-related professionals.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/" target="_blank">Twitter:</a> Search <span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.7" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">hashtags</span>, <span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.8" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">ie</span>. #<span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.9" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">itdirector</span>, #<span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.10" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">networkadministrator</span>, #<span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.11" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">datasecurity</span>, #programmer</span></span></li>
<li><span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.12" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://cosn.org/" target="_blank"><span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.13" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">COSN</span>:</a> Consortium for School Networking</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.iste.org/" target="_blank"><span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.14" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">ISTE</span>:</a> International Society for Technology in Education</span></span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">State and local <span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:dl.15" role="menuitem" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;" tabindex="-1">listservs</span> </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Creative Time</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not sure that creative time is a thing, my point here is that time is the magical piece that there is never enough of. Instead of using the old saying that you will find time for what is important, be creative with time and find different ways to get together other than the traditional meeting. A recent post on Engage, an employee engagement blog, on <a href="https://www.achievers.com/blog/2018/03/7-fun-ways-host-team-meetings/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">"7 Fun Ways to Host Team Meetings"</a>, points out a variety of simple common sense ways to make meetings not boring. Three of my favorites are mentioned below that I have added some ideas on how to make these easily happen with minimal time involved in preparation. </span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Use grouping: We know birds of a feather flock together right, so instead of having everyone count off from 1-5 then split up, which is boring, pass out different pieces of candy to everyone when they arrive and find their table of like sugary fun. Substitute anything you would like if candy isn't your thing. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Change the scenery: This one is very self-explanatory and why not meet at the local coffee shop, nothing makes a meeting more enjoyable than sitting in a comfortable chair with an iced coffee. One notable mention here is as the leader, you need to reassure your leadership team that this is OK. Let them know your expectations, traveling an hour across town to a nice speakeasy is probably not what counts as productive for most organizations. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Switch up positioning: This is similar to grouping in moving people out of their comfort zone by not having them sit in the same exact chair every week. Here is where you need to lead by example, the next time you walk into the meeting room, you start it off by sitting in a different spot every time. If we expect others to venture out of their comfort zone, we must lead by example.<br /><br /></span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sharing is Caring</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would love to hear what others are doing with their staff for staying fresh, building their PLN's and being creative with time. Leave a comment, tag me on Twitter @jcastelhano, share the great things you are doing!</span></div>
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Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-85956779389674420612018-07-20T12:31:00.002-07:002018-07-20T17:25:03.018-07:00Soft Skills vs Tech Skills<div>
<b>Dark Cave</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1JQ8wnrg7L8XT490vqvLvhn52OSEoKpe-i9fR6wKIMMfIBCgljIsc7mzOnrXPFckRP17pct7igOYuq0XphyphenhyphenRwn-Xmnk_3hXSy4up1SJzcqi9bxGXTZvgCmk09vTxViEDhF-LIld8oBcp/s1600/cave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="384" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1JQ8wnrg7L8XT490vqvLvhn52OSEoKpe-i9fR6wKIMMfIBCgljIsc7mzOnrXPFckRP17pct7igOYuq0XphyphenhyphenRwn-Xmnk_3hXSy4up1SJzcqi9bxGXTZvgCmk09vTxViEDhF-LIld8oBcp/s200/cave.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></div>
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One of the most common things I have heard from business owners about high school students is the lack of soft skills they possess. The technical skills are there and they can learn, but it is difficult to teach the soft skills. The issue is not specific to high school students, but in the tech world, that generalization has been there for many years. The dark caves stories that make up an IT shop exists for a reason, many are like that. If you only know that your help desk ticket goes into a secret cyberspace and eventually someone assists without any human contact, is a giveaway that your IT department is operating under the dark cave model. This model does not promote soft skill expectation or development.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6asXoVQwchSolPsp_7nkBTvc-8_1YnxncoR3rtNWs0SxurFh_C-c4HSN66xgqBE0881z9d9KaCV6rGTaW0VARcTo5shqCPsDSshCCZ3cGW09GFdZ-R3HHqoZAbg4dzW26Z-axNEXLKvOP/s1600/savvy.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="258" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6asXoVQwchSolPsp_7nkBTvc-8_1YnxncoR3rtNWs0SxurFh_C-c4HSN66xgqBE0881z9d9KaCV6rGTaW0VARcTo5shqCPsDSshCCZ3cGW09GFdZ-R3HHqoZAbg4dzW26Z-axNEXLKvOP/s200/savvy.png" width="172" /></a></div>
<b>Tech Savvy?</b><br />
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Make no mistake, hard or technical skills are necessary to keep any environment running smoothly for the end users. Problem-solving, project management, coding, and technical writing are all important hard skills that make this possible. Under good leadership, mentoring, and training, these hard skills can be learned by a motivated person. The question becomes can someone be taught the soft skills necessary to balance and provide the best customer support possible to the end user? In January this year, LinkedIn <a href="https://learning.linkedin.com/blog/top-skills/the-skills-companies-need-most-in-2018--and-the-courses-to-get-t" target="_blank">released</a> the "The Skills Companies Need Most in 2018-And The Courses to Get Them". Top four soft skills include leadership, communication, collaboration and time management. According to LinkedIn, 57 percent of leaders say soft skills are more important than hard skills, makes sense in a customer service focused environment. </div>
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<b>Organizational Chart </b> </div>
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We know the dark cave model does not work in today's world, but what organizational structure best works for an IT department to provide the best end-user support with customer support as the ultimate goal? If we are working to shed the stereotype of the dark cave, then our IT team needs to be visible and accessible to the end users. So where do we start with setting the customer service expectations desired?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYWJIwNV7ng7Yd6Bb9LwrvKMRn9xamq3FONCeOTHIzc7ZMOhQIK6r0muzp7sGz9ItYanJxcoMvq-00zMzVS-o5TthyTGx_roPzfjwEiYRYPlcd2XEgyg0Dfr9WWl5IstSlTlnAqOP7GZT/s1600/ccare.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="67" data-original-width="154" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYWJIwNV7ng7Yd6Bb9LwrvKMRn9xamq3FONCeOTHIzc7ZMOhQIK6r0muzp7sGz9ItYanJxcoMvq-00zMzVS-o5TthyTGx_roPzfjwEiYRYPlcd2XEgyg0Dfr9WWl5IstSlTlnAqOP7GZT/s200/ccare.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>Job Description</b><br />
When researching job descriptions recently for technicians that are in the field with our end users I noticed that technical skills are still the priority. It was not until I searched for "customer care representative" that I found the soft skills listed on job descriptions that are needed for any technology department to be successful. If we are going to set an expectation that relationships are the number one priority for our teams, then soft skills should be on the top of any application.<br />
<ul>
<li>Positive attitude</li>
<li>Build
and maintain positive relationships with students, staff, and stakeholders</li>
<li>Go the
extra mile to engage end users</li>
<li>Greet
customers warmly </li>
<li>Customer orientation and ability to adapt/respond to different types of users</li>
<li>Resolve end-user issues via an in-person visit, phone, help desk, or email, based on the individual needs of the user</li>
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<b>Get Out</b><br />
It is not a new concept that creating an environment that places end-user support at sites, allows access and relationships to develop between end users and technical services support. Knowing that shoulder to shoulder support is nearby is comforting for those that still feel they are not good with technology and at the same time gives the early adopters a place to bounce ideas and be innovative knowing someone has their back when needed.<br />
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Soft skills and relationships are not an option, they are key to a successful customer care environment. Take the time and step out of the dark cave and look around, you may find it is a great place to be! </div>
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Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-4243100863423643962017-11-26T12:36:00.000-08:002017-11-26T12:40:04.699-08:00Computer Science For AZ?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2xhAWoaR0QZTrz-fxy_G1Y4twzdGMIzCf8R0GPmDjtqT0tIKQ0gYUCuyoPSse7IG_h6u9Lfq8QxzzwM9RbZBcQ1YEm1ZkleHfe10Mz2DyEcT-bjwCmBB4TjfmXKll3kpirFawf-tkA_7/s1600/helloagain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2xhAWoaR0QZTrz-fxy_G1Y4twzdGMIzCf8R0GPmDjtqT0tIKQ0gYUCuyoPSse7IG_h6u9Lfq8QxzzwM9RbZBcQ1YEm1ZkleHfe10Mz2DyEcT-bjwCmBB4TjfmXKll3kpirFawf-tkA_7/s200/helloagain.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<b>It's Been Awhile</b><br />
I have to say that this has been the longest absence of blog posts that I have had since I began blogging in 2010. I am currently in my second year at Gilbert Public Schools and my last post was the same month I began my new position, so I have been a bit busy making the transition. However, no more excuses, it is time to get back to sharing, collaborating, and growing on the <span class="gmail-goog-spellcheck-word" id="gmail-:do.1" role="menuitem" style="background: yellow;" tabindex="-1">Interweb</span>.<br />
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<b>CS for All</b><br />
If you have been following Computer Science (CS) for the last couple of years, you are most likely familiar with the various CS <a href="https://www.csforall.org/" target="_blank">initiatives </a>at the federal and state levels. President Obama brought attention on the federal level when he addressed the need for better CS education in his 2016 State of Union Address and followed with his initiative calling for $4 billion in funding and $100 million to districts for teacher training, materials and partnerships. We all know now that $4 billion was not committed too, however, the attention brought to the topic and movement from smaller initiatives have continued to gain momentum and CS initiatives are growing across the country. The current administration under President Trump, in September 2017, issued a memorandum directing the Department of Education to spend $200 million in grants to supporting STEM programs, including CS. Ivanka Trump, who is an adviser to the President, has also been active in supporting STEM education and more specifically for girls. In September, Ivanka, Hadi Partovi (Code.org), and Brad Smith (Microsoft President), <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?434778-1/ivanka-trump-delivers-remarks-stem-education-middleburg-virginia" target="_blank">visited</a> an elementary school in Virginia to discuss women in STEM fields, Hour of Code, and support for CS in schools with students. This type of awareness and support will need to continue from multiple levels to move CS for all and STEM related education in the right direction.<br />
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<b>Why CS</b><br />
I often hear the question, why is CS important for our students, not all students are going to become coders. True, not all students will be interested in coding, but CS is more than coding and the computational thinking process applies to more than CS. Computational thinking is about the process of solving a problem and potentially using technology for the outcome. The process involves collecting and processing data, looking for patterns, creating the steps to solve the problem and testing the solution for accuracy and efficiency. These are skills that all students can use in a variety of disciplines.<br />
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If we take a look at the data around open computer science jobs in the United States, from an economic and innovative perspective, we are in danger of falling behind the curve. According to the Conference Board's Help Wanted Online service, there are around 500,000 CS openings across multiple industries and states. With CS career opportunities being the second highest paid starting salaries according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, where is the disconnect?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEUdsju0c-FLr82EXwTUQbwcfebooGOCWnD36QlgJefZP8JAG445bj4dAiGD9NYsp5T69chYDO3UOHPRmUy2PECyZXpV1UCDx_dwQRzIAYbDAmZDNk90gmq0D6-hiDfanzDfQWW0Oe2pg/s1600/1in4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="208" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEUdsju0c-FLr82EXwTUQbwcfebooGOCWnD36QlgJefZP8JAG445bj4dAiGD9NYsp5T69chYDO3UOHPRmUy2PECyZXpV1UCDx_dwQRzIAYbDAmZDNk90gmq0D6-hiDfanzDfQWW0Oe2pg/s200/1in4.png" width="185" /></a></div>
<b>The State of CS</b><br />
<a href="http://code.org/" style="color: #1155cc;">Code.org</a> is a non-profit organization that has been a leader in the vision that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. The <a href="https://code.org/learn" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Hour of Code</a> was launched by Code.org in 2013 and today millions of students in over 180 countries participate in the event during <a href="https://csedweek.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Computer Science Education Week</a> yearly. Code.org also tracks CS policy and implementation across the United States which provides valuable information in a central location for stakeholder <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1J3TbEQt3SmIWuha7ooBPvlWpiK-pNVIV5uuQEzNzdkE/edit" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">access</a>. A deeper dive into the statistics reveals that only 10 states have currently adopted CS standards and in 34 states CS can count towards high school graduation math or science requirements. If we take a look at the current job openings and percentage of graduates in STEM fields with computer science, we will have a lack of workforce to meet the demand and this affects innovation in our country.<br />
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<b>CS for AZ</b><br />
Arizona is seeing momentum towards CS for all in the K-12 school setting and for good reason. There are currently 9,677 open computing jobs in AZ and with only 546 computer science graduates in 2015, the numbers speak for themselves. Of all AZ schools in 2015-16, only 10% offered AP computer science courses and this amounted to the least number of AP tests taken in any other STEM subject area. Of the 438 AP tests that were taken by students, only 23% were female and 68 were underrepresented minorities. Not only are these two demographics underrepresented, but we are missing their perspective, which is something we need to change.<br />
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<a href="https://csforaz.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">CS for AZ</a>, a non-profit organization, is working with a large group of stakeholders to bring CS to all students in AZ. The organization has brought together a diverse group of educators, AZ government, business leaders, college-level educators and students, working together to provide information and support for CS standards in the state. The positive movement towards their goal can be seen, the Arizona Department of Education has recently opened the call to collect <a href="http://www.azed.gov/standards-practices/arizona-computer-science-standards-dev/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">public feedback</a> that will help guide the development of K-12 Computer Science Standards. The working groups that will be formed to develop these standards will represent K-12 educators, higher education, parents, and industry representatives in a collaborative process to ensure the standards represent a diverse population.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ajt3NpC53ld7YrpV0qMZysfjHc_nEDbeDJxB4VYyzhQ_KFO7Rbw-5Sza7LteVnYEVFCIwpJjBcD0TJvJnINB3A_piQ4EgajizDKDvbc6UYH94oK8JOaCEFXXWh3BhXFZ6tIX8cwLp_aA/s1600/Slide_Students_Like_CS.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1222" height="101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ajt3NpC53ld7YrpV0qMZysfjHc_nEDbeDJxB4VYyzhQ_KFO7Rbw-5Sza7LteVnYEVFCIwpJjBcD0TJvJnINB3A_piQ4EgajizDKDvbc6UYH94oK8JOaCEFXXWh3BhXFZ6tIX8cwLp_aA/s200/Slide_Students_Like_CS.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<b>Skills</b><br />If we want to provide a relevant education for our students we should be supporting them with the skills and exposure necessary to be able to leave the K-12 setting prepared to pursue whatever path they choose. Computer Science skills are not limited to coding but can be used to reinforce such areas as problem-solving, data collection, testing, and analysis, in engaging ways that can apply to a variety of disciplines. Working together we can provide the opportunities for our students to have the skills to solve today's problems and tomorrow's challenges, in whatever capacity they choose.Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-31264574170014663762016-07-16T09:06:00.000-07:002016-07-16T09:06:20.722-07:00The State of Digital Citizenship<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Big Four</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Over the years I have worked hard at providing a reliable environment to support K-12 staff and students in a relevant and meaningful learning community. A simple rule of thumb that I have done my best to follow is focusing on what I have called, "the Big Three". The Big Three is made up of three categories: infrastructure, devices, and professional development. As the years have passed and mobile devices have found their way into the hands of all staff and students, the Big Three is no longer enough, enter the new “big” on the block, digital citizenship.
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Digital citizenship is not new, but in many cases it has not been part of the foundation when creating technology plans, nor has it been part of the conversation at administrative team meetings. However, we can no longer ignore that the number of student devices in the classroom is on the rise. By the 2016-17 school year, half of all school districts in the US will be 1:1 with mobile devices, according to Futuresource Consulting. This fact, combined with the decreased cost of mobile devices, means that digital citizenship must be taught and addressed. </span><br />
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Where Are We?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the state of AZ, Jeff Billings, technology director at the Paradise Valley School District, has generated a bit of buzz around digital citizenship. Billings has created the Arizona Digital Citizenship Statewide Data Collection Project and hopes to have all students in the state represented when the project is complete. He has already collected data from over 250,000 students; the plan is to begin sharing the data next fall after the results have been disaggregated. The goal is to have a reliable source of information on digital citizenship across the state and promote further discussion and collaboration. </span></div>
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<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/IXsUvvld1DykTaEirJq8-2X0NPkGnLr6Ny_5MSlZVFRW4t6XH9AssXCa3KUTIWAGEVB-BxzvE3FvkHdSCiDPst-FmNx17wIQN5uNXPLne2Wy03HGroymUV7bEm87Zg8sT8llXjPT" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/IXsUvvld1DykTaEirJq8-2X0NPkGnLr6Ny_5MSlZVFRW4t6XH9AssXCa3KUTIWAGEVB-BxzvE3FvkHdSCiDPst-FmNx17wIQN5uNXPLne2Wy03HGroymUV7bEm87Zg8sT8llXjPT" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="335" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The picture painted by some of the early data shows that the local education agencies are at various places with respect to a shared vision of digital citizenship implementation in the classroom. It appears that a shared vision within districts is not the norm, which should prompt concern among all stakeholders. The way in which respondents prioritized the eight elements of digital citizenship is also notable. To be consistent in the delivery of digital citizenship, is any element more or less important than the other?
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<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/NiD4nY-2IBD67RPavCAHLva2mFfsr9MZNrMof_48gT1OUD5ese78m_BAkv5Owl12_k_Lt9iakPYEm8qrtY-DzP4ZVtZM_NtjNpxO9FM9L707aaWHU9-L4Wl8BZbW9J_RVOs1FRC3" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/NiD4nY-2IBD67RPavCAHLva2mFfsr9MZNrMof_48gT1OUD5ese78m_BAkv5Owl12_k_Lt9iakPYEm8qrtY-DzP4ZVtZM_NtjNpxO9FM9L707aaWHU9-L4Wl8BZbW9J_RVOs1FRC3" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="348" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This project holds promise for bringing together districts from across Arizona and providing talking points that could lead to positive collaboration and common language among educators. We should applaud the effort and look forward to the data. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moving Forward </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is becoming clearer everyday that digital learning is on the rise, even if our schools do not provide these opportunities. The 2014 SpeakUp Survey showed that 75 percent of students think every student should have access to a mobile device during the school day to support learning. Many of them have taken matters into their own hands, as 58 percent already use their own smartphones in class and perform such tasks as taking photos of assignments and textbook pages.
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">So where do we start with such an overwhelming responsibility that affects our classrooms and the teachers that ultimately set the example for our students? A quick Web search will return numerous sites with digital citizenship resources. Common Sense Media is a popular choice and offers scope and sequence materials that are age appropriate for the classroom and a certification program for educators and schools. It takes much more effort, however, to find actual programs that exist in schools-examples of digital citizenship embedded in those teachable moments that are so relevant to our students. We need to shared successful programs and hold them up as models for others to see (#digitalcitizenship). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-4510893e-8de5-8a58-86b1-a866e60ccd10" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Digital citizenship is no different from good citizenship in general-the only distinction is the medium where that community exists. If we expect our students to be responsible members of the digital community, we have to collaborate with all stakeholders to create successful learning opportunities, encourage parental support, lead by example, and include our students in that discussion. Technology is no longer a once-a-week event or a trip to the computer lab; it is embedded in our classroom and personal environments. It will take more than the librarian or tech teacher to instill the values of digital citizenship into the lives of our students and make good digital citizenship part of the Big Four.</span>Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-228950786785770212016-06-30T12:09:00.001-07:002016-06-30T12:32:54.868-07:00The ISTE Blues<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
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<b>Data Overload</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MwMPXrtPgY_vBDxxHiLQH5vrH4v3BCUxTLEDQpoktBM1zlGWAVICMJgIul82mnTFvcmcJEFfzVC91BR8M1o9nOa-p-t3aFkAlMAgZVM6UQHOSK_1XeBPnm4rjZgb9lDk1r8fLXe7jvF6/s1600/IMG_0172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MwMPXrtPgY_vBDxxHiLQH5vrH4v3BCUxTLEDQpoktBM1zlGWAVICMJgIul82mnTFvcmcJEFfzVC91BR8M1o9nOa-p-t3aFkAlMAgZVM6UQHOSK_1XeBPnm4rjZgb9lDk1r8fLXe7jvF6/s200/IMG_0172.JPG" width="200" /></a></b></div>
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Like most of us returning from ISTE, you are probably experiencing the emotional roller coaster ride that accompanies the flight or drive home. The data overload from the content filled sessions, keynotes, poster and playground spaces, and endless conversations can be overwhelming. It is possible to keep the "ISTE's Over Blues" from setting in, but do not put it off for later, jump into your content while it's fresh and take charge! </div>
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<b>From the Middle</b></div>
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It doesn't matter what your role is in your organization, you have just spent four days gathering content that you need to share. Take the lead from the middle approach and decide how you can share what you have learned with your peers, administration, technology staff and any others that could benefit from what you have learned. This could also be an opportunity to use a new medium to share information with a presentation platform, blog site, or creative new app that you experienced at the conference. With the pace at which new technologies and classroom practices evolve, technology, curriculum, and professional development teams will appreciate the benefit of the information you provide. </div>
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<b>Stay in Touch</b></div>
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I have said a number of times that the best place to make connections at ISTE is standing in line waiting to purchase that delightful ice coffee or refreshing bottle of water. I do suggest we change the phrase "standing in line" to the "PLN line", because we ultimately exchange email addresses, Twitter and Instagram handles and district names for future collaboration, with educators from around the globe. Now that you have these new contacts, don't hesitate to reach out and continue the conversations and sharing of ideas that you started while waiting in that PLN line.</div>
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The power of social media can assist, so take advantage of the new account you just created in those power sessions and use the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ISTE2016?src=hash" target="_blank">#ISTE2016</a> hashtag to share with your new friends. </div>
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<b>Bring ISTE Home</b><br />
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</b>Coming together with 15,000 like minded educators is something magical that ISTE has <br />
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managed to create for many years. What many ISTE members may not be aware of is the ISTE affiliate groups that exist in virtually every state in our country, as wells as international affiliates in Australia, Canada, Europe, India, The Philippines, and the United Kingdom. These affiliate groups are all a bit different and have a variety of benefits and professional development opportunities that happen year around. Joining a local affiliate is another way to continue to grow your PLN, attend events in your state and become involved with advocacy movements that can directly affect your classrooms and students. To find an affiliate in your area, check out the <a href="http://www.iste.org/getinvolved/affiliate-directory" target="_blank">affiliate directory</a> and continue making connections!<br />
<b><br />Small World</b></div>
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Staying relevant in a world continually growing smaller is not an easy task and each new generation of students brings a fresh mindset that as educators we must be able to connect with. Attending events like ISTE, connecting with others through social media, and remaining outside of the four walls of our classrooms, cubicles and offices, will allow us to continue growing and remain the most important part of the classroom. See you in San Antonio! </div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-22787527683574865272016-04-23T12:23:00.002-07:002016-04-23T12:27:09.019-07:00The Big Four<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mix IT Up</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was a time when I would focus my discussions with others on how important infrastructure is when planning any type of technology integration project. My opinion on the importance of infrastructure has not changed over the years, however the conversation about the other ingredients that must go into the foundation for integrating technology in our classrooms are not independent of the infrastructure. As relevant as it is to have a robust network backbone and a great Internet connection, that by itself will not give our students the opportunities they need to be successful when they leave the K-12 environment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Creating the right mix that goes into the foundation for integrating technology in our classrooms is similar to the science of creating the perfect batch of concrete that supports our houses, buildings and roads. The science used to arrive at the finished product is far more complicated than buying a few bags of concrete at your local Home Depot for the backyard swing set. Building a foundation for today's digital learners is as important as the base for the tallest skyscraper, and requires the proper mix of four key ingredients that I believe are critical for our classrooms. Let's take a look at the ingredients in no particular order.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfmz862D1E8q0Dd97UsWnWpucyrkdti3eK8s-vPhgVZXQRsNLN-C-vjCkN5ounRwWZA59XnPVbpPpE_uHPTJwAUV_wtw1y05syWBN0qYdkNMPgAxrQseh2f-i7vaDBsGqPvJSQDEzSht6/s1600/pd.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitfmz862D1E8q0Dd97UsWnWpucyrkdti3eK8s-vPhgVZXQRsNLN-C-vjCkN5ounRwWZA59XnPVbpPpE_uHPTJwAUV_wtw1y05syWBN0qYdkNMPgAxrQseh2f-i7vaDBsGqPvJSQDEzSht6/s200/pd.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Professional Development</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Historically PD is the afterthought when integrating technology in our classrooms and becomes the first reason cited for technology integration failure. The excitement of having support to integrate the devices often allows a structured PD plan to be pushed aside, making it difficult to play catch up. If our foundation is going to hold up, we need our technology and curriculum departments working collaboratively with our site leaders, teachers, students, and parents to craft a PD plan. One way to accomplish a baseline for building a plan across all stakeholder groups is to leverage data. Participating in a survey, such as Project Tomorrow's <a href="http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/index.html#" target="_blank">Speakup Survey</a>, allows educators, students, and parents to have feedback on their current and future technology use in education. The data provides starting points for discussions during the PD planning process and gives voice to all stakeholders involved. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Digital Citizenship</b>
Digital citizenship is not different from the general definition of citizenship other than the medium where that community exists. If we expect our students to be responsible members of the digital community, then we have to collaborate with all stakeholders to create successful learning opportunities, have parental support, lead by example, and include our students in that discussion. A digital citizenship road map is a key ingredient to our foundation and one that will lead to many cracks if ignored. Having the proper resources and embedding digital citizenship within the everyday curriculum will allow teachable moments while not adding another layer and demonstrating real world application. Develop or adopt digital citizenship standards or elements that can be made visible throughout your school district and community. Providing a common digital citizenship language for all students, educators, and parents will help in changing the culture and support behavior in the digital world.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Devices</b></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqy-VgJUZe8gNTRFPugCiJ1W6lW2TO4s62ZRYjyF-xFamfAfmcDLMEJtp9gxYFM8HJ8M9b-WBpbfBv2lCY-B7CDrgXDu2UHHsLOwiXjrqZp3A_R24BzZvwUXxlabp-0MEyiJIeoo62z9m/s1600/hpcb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnqy-VgJUZe8gNTRFPugCiJ1W6lW2TO4s62ZRYjyF-xFamfAfmcDLMEJtp9gxYFM8HJ8M9b-WBpbfBv2lCY-B7CDrgXDu2UHHsLOwiXjrqZp3A_R24BzZvwUXxlabp-0MEyiJIeoo62z9m/s200/hpcb.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The million dollar question has long been, which device is the best choice for our classrooms. The simple answer is there is not a "best" choice or one size fits all device that exists, and the reason for that is simple in my opinion. Every classroom, school, and district is a little bit different than the next, the magic is finding the device that works best for you. There are a few ways to gather feedback from stakeholders that may take a bit of time, but will provide valuable feedback before making a commitment.</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Try and buy. If you are committed to purchasing devices, there will large amounts of budget spent, why not purchase a small number of devices first and distribute those to teachers, students, and technology staff. It is amazing how fast word spreads among teachers and students when they have a new device that allows them to improve what they are doing in the classroom. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Student devices. Once a decision is made, allow your teachers to have access to a device prior to them being implemented in the classroom. Our teachers need to know the device before there are 30 of them in their classroom. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Plan to manage. The technology team needs to understand the devices and be able to craft their plan on how they will manage devices in their network environment. Every device type will have it's own characteristics and the tech team will need to be able to support them in the classroom.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember that devices can be the most difficult ingredient in the foundation and cause the biggest cracks if not well thought out. Buy in from all stakeholders is important so that everyone is supportive of the device through its lifespan. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Infrastructure</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Watching the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">discussion relating to infrastructure change with the </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">transition from desktops to mobile devices has been exciting. The good old days of deciding where to locate the 5-8 drops per classroom now revolves around supporting a 1:1 environment and wireless connectivity from the front office to the football field. The challenge becomes where to begin when planning your infrastructure needs and how to build for the future. Taking the time to properly plan, it is much easier than chasing connectivity and bandwidth down the road, here are a few things to think about.
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Take a field trip. Don't underestimate how much can be learned by visiting other districts, asking questions about their planning process and why they made the decisions that they did. Having prior knoweldge and learning from others before starting your journey is invaluable. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.usac.org/sl/" target="_blank">Schools and Libraries Program</a> (E-rate). The
e-rate program was established in 1996 to assist schools and libraries with
making their telecommunication needs more affordable. The program has gone
through a modernization effort and is focused on assisting schools with
obtaining affordable access to high-speed broadband and funding internal
connections to support the connectivity. Participating in the program can make
a difference in the planning process.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Use the resources available for baseline data.
There are national resources available </span><span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">such as <a href="http://www.educationsuperhighway.org/" target="_blank">Education Superhighway</a>, who's mission
is to bring internet access to every public classroom in our country. They have
spent time putting together <a href="http://www.educationsuperhighway.org/districts/" target="_blank">tool kits</a> to help with the
infrastructure planning process. Their resources were put together by working
with districts from across our country and provide starting points.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "arial narrow" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Outside assistance. Reaching out and working with experts in the infrastructure field is not a sign of weakness, it's a smart move. Bringing a consultant to the table is not only beneficial for collaborating on designing the appropriate infrastructure but offers large amounts of knowledge transfer throughout the
process.
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<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">How to Finish</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">The last stage of pouring concrete is known as finishing and like many aspects of construction is a form of art. A good finisher brings that smooth, consistent look to the end product, that makes the weekend construction warrior so envious of. Finishing can also be considered the last step in tying together the ingredients of a strong foundation. <span style="white-space: normal;">Building an environment for today's digital learners is challenging, strenuous at times, and absolutely rewarding when student and teachers have a great experience integrating technology in the classroom. Remember, it's the ingredients working together that is supporting the foundation of your structure. </span></span></div>
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Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-20367965447062363462016-02-21T13:54:00.001-08:002016-02-21T13:56:30.004-08:00Move Over Flair <b>Time...</b><br />
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Probably the most common issue we hear about in life has to do with not having enough time for, and fill in the blank. Often the counter to that statement is we will make time for what is important, which is true to an extent, but doesn't change the fact that in our professional lives we still must prioritize. What has been a struggle for a number of years now from a technology integration perspective, is how we provide solid professional development to our teaching staff that is relevant, timely, and doesn't require the traditional hour before or after school that teachers may not have time for. </div>
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<b>Short Meaningful PD</b></div>
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I like to use the average length of a YouTube video to provoke discussion on just how long someone will stay with you when providing PD. Depending on what day you check, the average length of the top five most popular YouTube videos vary from 2.5 to 4.5 minutes long. When I checked <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF0pVplsI8R5kcAqgtoRqoA" target="_blank">#popularonyoutube</a> when writing this post, the longest video was 5.31 and the shortest was 31 seconds. I would imagine that some may say if the content is good, it doesn't matter how much time it takes to view and to some extent that may be true. However in the hustle and bustle of the K-12 setting, moving at the pace of 140 characters at a time seems to make more sense if we want to reach a larger audience. At <a href="http://www.ajusd.org/" target="_blank">AJUSD</a> we have made the conscience effort to change the way we are providing PD to our teaching staff that provides short, meaningful bursts of sharing content while staying as close to the 15 minute window as possible. <a href="https://twitter.com/BethanyLigon" target="_blank">Bethany Ligon</a>, AJUSD's Technology Integration Specialist, has taken this approach with our collaboration coach tips and tools <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/ajusd43technology" target="_blank">videos</a> recently and we are monitoring feedback on video length to see what is most effective for our staff. </div>
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<b>Badge Up</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3q0E5xm1_L9dm4J_B_mka-Y93GT74RIWL4Fi-ruDwFSH-m7cOor2C3iVvUBqLMYcnIi3heknQkP0l07ee9s2Ko6-f8WLxyHRShICCFCpm-buAC-92pDV6c4Jaf-TNTpgjPyR1LNTciSC/s1600/IMG_1098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw3q0E5xm1_L9dm4J_B_mka-Y93GT74RIWL4Fi-ruDwFSH-m7cOor2C3iVvUBqLMYcnIi3heknQkP0l07ee9s2Ko6-f8WLxyHRShICCFCpm-buAC-92pDV6c4Jaf-TNTpgjPyR1LNTciSC/s200/IMG_1098.JPG" width="200" /></a></b></div>
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Another area that takes time and attention is growing our professional learning networks and sharing what our teachers and administrators are doing on their campus. Social media has obviously been a game changer in this area and blending this with the traditional walking by a classroom and seeing evidence of the great things happening, has led us into the badge game. It is difficult for just one district TIS, to get around to every classroom and see what is happening. With a quick Google Site and Forms, teachers and administrators can apply for a badge, share their artifacts, display their accomplishment, and share with others how they are integrating technology in their classrooms. <a href="https://twitter.com/BethanyLigon" target="_blank">Bethany</a> summed up nicely what she enjoys most about implementing this program:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px;"><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The best part for me, is that teachers are able to request training on exactly what they want. It's not a one size fits all professional development setting anymore. But it's me meeting with one teacher or a small team of teachers who want to grow their instructional toolbox in a specific area or with a particular tech tool/app. And because I now have documentation on which teacher is proficient on each tool, I can use them as a resource as needed. </span></i></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.48px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Another "best part" for me is the teacher's reaction when I walk into their rooms on a Thursday afternoon to hand them their badge. Yesterday, a teacher literally jumped up and down and clapped her hands because she was so excited and then her little first graders started cheering for her. That totally made my day</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.2px;">.</span></span></div>
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<b>Find A Way</b><br />Time doesn't have to be a monster that keeps us from growing and sharing on a professional level. If we look around and see what others are doing, share what we are doing, and be willing to try new things, great things will happen. In the words of Ian Malcolm, life finds a way. </div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-23971878768520852982015-12-14T10:19:00.000-08:002015-12-14T10:19:19.292-08:00Edublog Awards<b>Thank You!</b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://eddies.edublogs.org/files/2015/12/adminBlog_2015-1kd67cd.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="adminBlog_2015" border="0" height="200" src="https://eddies.edublogs.org/files/2015/12/adminBlog_2015-1kd67cd.png" width="117" /></a></div>
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I wanted to take a quick moment and say thank you for the Edublog Awards 2015 nomination. I appreciate it very much and enjoy sharing through my blog as often as I can. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season and looking forward to 2016!</div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-86456843024242150442015-09-25T07:53:00.001-07:002015-09-25T07:56:24.677-07:00A Tech Director's Reflection V: Be Happy Now<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Part V is going to be a two question wrap up of a Tech Director's Reflection. I have enjoyed sharing these </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">questions with everyone and I hope you have enjoyed answering the same questions yourself.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvaYJKM8rIGtGL7r1H1Jqk7Mn5fsv4B04fo7PmUTJNCdBqt0LlKgNGEh5oR91VwbABUcV-Ff-eEUEyU4pc0TyPQ6QzdZe-5ZcAEKS4n6TXAAY9jUVN4p55_MT0nNO6ptiIljahymNUxbV/s1600/brand-157839_640.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvaYJKM8rIGtGL7r1H1Jqk7Mn5fsv4B04fo7PmUTJNCdBqt0LlKgNGEh5oR91VwbABUcV-Ff-eEUEyU4pc0TyPQ6QzdZe-5ZcAEKS4n6TXAAY9jUVN4p55_MT0nNO6ptiIljahymNUxbV/s200/brand-157839_640.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">Satisfaction<br /></span></b><span style="background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15.3333px;">When you work in IT, you have to understand that constant change, end user issues, and other variables that you can't always control are part of the gig. If flexibility and understanding are not part of you, then satisfaction on the job is probably going to be hard to come by. Salary in the K-12 setting can also be a challenge for some as it isn't always comparable to a similar industry job. Talking often about other reasons that create personal satisfaction on the job are an important part of a tech director building a strong team.<br /><b><br />What is the most important personal satisfactions connected with your position?<br /></b>Knowing that what we are doing on a daily basis provides our students and teachers with an opportunity to have and provide a relevant education is very rewarding and that makes the stressful situations seem very minor.<br /><b><br />What other job(s) does your background qualify you for?<br /></b>I don’t think there is a specific job(s) that I would name to answer this question. Good leaders develop a style that work in a number of settings because they understand how to build great teams.</span></div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-20391516768996559842015-09-24T14:55:00.001-07:002015-09-24T14:55:24.821-07:00A Tech Director's Reflection IV: Leading From The Middle<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Everyone Can Lead</span></span></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFx3UV77tzbFJ5Lc_9MR1CwEZwokXSpfoNyYeATLz_JZkYMgh9UFVptDtncXdgX0Y19ViJUJo8MoQyxXQ-YWxYxUendhl6gjO0tZ9ABNTWFvpLWp2IHqY7RUrTItTuuoNDy6dmtwyVowCN/s1600/Arrows-eight-long.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFx3UV77tzbFJ5Lc_9MR1CwEZwokXSpfoNyYeATLz_JZkYMgh9UFVptDtncXdgX0Y19ViJUJo8MoQyxXQ-YWxYxUendhl6gjO0tZ9ABNTWFvpLWp2IHqY7RUrTItTuuoNDy6dmtwyVowCN/s200/Arrows-eight-long.png" width="200" /></a></b></div>
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I truly believe that
everyone can be a leader if they choose to be. Leading up, down and across can
be beneficial for an organization if encouraged and there is a way for the
communication to happen. The saying is a bit old now, but bringing everyone
outside of the four walls of their classrooms and cubicles is still relevant
and if we can do that, strong working environments can happen.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oM5Jjj8OYhcRM2tEqF_0R3RFVcBXjcN_bIlhZNN_Phz_Q09aADmhn0W2bxLIZnT4n4Ne5YO00JqzlleVHvaLklxakIng0ahALz86JgGrqSFu5dSWOfF3XAsUKIU_xoeCZdk9Zh7IX2rg/s1600/social-media-550767_1280.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9oM5Jjj8OYhcRM2tEqF_0R3RFVcBXjcN_bIlhZNN_Phz_Q09aADmhn0W2bxLIZnT4n4Ne5YO00JqzlleVHvaLklxakIng0ahALz86JgGrqSFu5dSWOfF3XAsUKIU_xoeCZdk9Zh7IX2rg/s200/social-media-550767_1280.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">How do you promote and
encourage the use of new and emerging technology in the classroom and district?</span></span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
I like to share as much as possible through my social media outlets, write
using my blog, and support staff through quality service. More important than
that is providing a way for the real experts, the classroom
teachers, to have a way to collaborate with one another and share what they are
doing with emerging technologies and practices. To do this we have a Technology
Integration Specialist, Collaboration Coach Leads, and Collaboration Coaches in
the district that work to support one another. I do my best to support them
with what they need to make that happen. </span><span style="font-size: 6.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-23018403768881990022015-09-23T09:01:00.000-07:002015-09-23T09:01:57.944-07:00A Tech Director's Reflection III: The Journey<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1B3skjSl3ZBjQ17LgAtBGJFYHmgDRvz_Z7MRwaCbzJ8mk1xRjhfi8P0DIPemBdqRkTWkQTPUamNyTrY6OuiWtybpoDaawR8ILUHYT-NTDqPo-W65EJEilIrd4SRtmzUxSKmBtGrfI7swO/s1600/319px-Black_Coffee_for_Breakfast_in_White_Porcelain_Cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1B3skjSl3ZBjQ17LgAtBGJFYHmgDRvz_Z7MRwaCbzJ8mk1xRjhfi8P0DIPemBdqRkTWkQTPUamNyTrY6OuiWtybpoDaawR8ILUHYT-NTDqPo-W65EJEilIrd4SRtmzUxSKmBtGrfI7swO/s200/319px-Black_Coffee_for_Breakfast_in_White_Porcelain_Cup.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: #eeffee; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">cc-by-2.</span><span style="background-color: #eeffee; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; text-align: start;">0</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Morning Coffee</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br />The great thing about careers is that often we have no idea where our current
jobs<b> </b>and<b> </b>experiences will lead us in the future. I understand that many people may map out a career path
from first job to retirement, however I would assume when that plan is reviewed
while sipping coffee on the front porch enjoying the morning sunrises of
retirement, that there were different roads taken along the way. Reflecting on
how you have arrived at your current position is a good reminder of the hard
work that you have done over the years and a nice trip down memory lane, give
it a try!<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1ONNl8qtfCRyCqBO4XfxSyEAOWU5Zponoyl3JPqU7Mb0ZSMjjP7eDyidcqeqqbOjzDDDNT92E7hN1Ud4G5V9ye8ZO1Cr9z43pTeUQ2ht-IY7VAaVRG0Sz1dUNYbS4PXNbRm1sQrtBsQ6/s1600/2551405230_c97a6000e6_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1ONNl8qtfCRyCqBO4XfxSyEAOWU5Zponoyl3JPqU7Mb0ZSMjjP7eDyidcqeqqbOjzDDDNT92E7hN1Ud4G5V9ye8ZO1Cr9z43pTeUQ2ht-IY7VAaVRG0Sz1dUNYbS4PXNbRm1sQrtBsQ6/s1600/2551405230_c97a6000e6_m.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/gruesome/" target="_blank">Courtesy Jeff Power</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">What jobs and experiences have led you to your present position?<br />
</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I feel all my positions in education have lead
me to my current position. When I started my career as a classroom teacher, I
gained knowledge of what it is like to not only guide students, but what
teachers need to be successful in the classroom. As a Technology Integration
Coach, I was able to work with adults and develop leadership and collaboration
skills and also continue to become familiar with technology on the data center
side. These real world experiences prepared me for my current position and
everyday is another opportunity for a hands on learning experience for
continued improvement.</span></span>Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-79000746695956912522015-09-22T10:01:00.002-07:002015-09-22T10:13:37.344-07:00A Tech Director's Reflection Part II: Why Tech Director?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1T5a24QJyLwM5kbou8Ve4-u2gLlTcDu7h3K2FJTIXzgag4Xwc_zLkxtrH3IkvPAhq1hxWc_F0pVHprFUJatEj5h1PHjmgBCdFJnJN2F-DrEN1S-em7OJJjYLDds8pKssXVnxyPfxXn1A/s1600/Cyclists_at_red_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1T5a24QJyLwM5kbou8Ve4-u2gLlTcDu7h3K2FJTIXzgag4Xwc_zLkxtrH3IkvPAhq1hxWc_F0pVHprFUJatEj5h1PHjmgBCdFJnJN2F-DrEN1S-em7OJJjYLDds8pKssXVnxyPfxXn1A/s320/Cyclists_at_red_2.jpg" width="320" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Morning Commute </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We should all be able to answer in a few sentences why our jobs interest us. I have spoken to a number of people that have to ponder how to answer that question and reply with, "that's a good question." The ride to work everyday should not be dreadful, if you are looking for an excuse to exit the freeway early, it may be time to reflect on why, so you can start enjoying the commute to the office.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInqqNnYjFsaNu9qdoYwkqhtaA7cnzdgqqQEUpvlDkhSfYkh8EiA9LeQo1ngEkXBnOhMremh33CMCtv3D1TxbNOlvCXoAmKbgBhPBDUmerXrhOfmRd2Xa_gEq0jZANP1tEZr6rFxwXDnJC/s1600/techlego.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInqqNnYjFsaNu9qdoYwkqhtaA7cnzdgqqQEUpvlDkhSfYkh8EiA9LeQo1ngEkXBnOhMremh33CMCtv3D1TxbNOlvCXoAmKbgBhPBDUmerXrhOfmRd2Xa_gEq0jZANP1tEZr6rFxwXDnJC/s200/techlego.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why did this type of position interest you and how did you best prepare for the job?</b></span></span></div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">I enjoy change, moving forward and trying new things regularly. The technology landscape is an ever changing world that continually reshapes itself and that keeps my job fresh and challenging. Preparing for an ever changing set of circumstances takes understanding, patience and the ability to have strong people around you to handle the situations that will arise. I believe I prepared by being in real world situations, working hard, and not being afraid to fail. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">How does your job interest you?</span></span>Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-61265962196436704402015-09-20T13:01:00.000-07:002015-09-21T09:41:45.222-07:00A Tech Director's Reflection: A Typical Day<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Eusebius" style="background: none rgb(249, 249, 249); color: #0b0080; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 20.216px; text-align: start;" title="User:Eusebius"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Eusebius</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>The Assignment
</b>I was recently asked by a <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianLockwood9" target="_blank">teacher</a> if I could answer a few questions for them as part of an assignment they were working on in their leadership program. I may be in the minority, but I don't mind doing it, because it is always a good opportunity to reflect. I am going to share one question a day this week with my response and challenge others to think about the same question themselves as a way to reflect. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>What does a typical day consist of for you?</b></span></div>
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What I try to do on a daily basis is be there for my staff to provide them what they need to best do their jobs supporting our network and users. Reviewing and managing technology work orders, communicating with schools and departments, managing department budget, and staying active in my PLN to keep the district current are other typical day activities.
What does your typical day look like? </span><br />
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Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-84095396534195955572015-07-09T09:54:00.001-07:002015-07-09T09:54:33.137-07:00ISTE Gems!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>The Stack</b><br />
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Every year I return from ISTE with a backpack full of information and a google doc filled with session notes. Like everyone else who has been to ISTE over the years, I have come to find that the connections made during the conference are invaluable, but there is still a benefit with sharing the little gems with others who didn't attend. These are just a few highlights that I found in my pile of "stuff".<br /><br /><b>Maker Movement</b><br />
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I think it is safe to say that <a href="https://www.raspberrypi.org/" target="_blank">Raspberry Pi</a> has made a dent in the maker movement, and allowed students to learn programming skills, create technology rich projects, and not break the bank in the process. At the Raspberry Pi + iPad session, <a href="https://twitter.com/mamante" target="_blank">Mike</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mamante" target="_blank">Amante</a> did a great job sharing his experiences with the device and how he is using the technology with his students and plans of expanding the program in the fall. More information from Mike can be found <a href="http://mamante.dropmark.com/203242?page=1" target="_blank">here</a>. A big surprise at the end of the session were two representatives from the Raspberry Pi Foundation showed up and shared news about Picademy USA, you can find more info <a href="http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=54fbc2c9ac9d9dd634725107a&id=9bcd4df33f" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br /><b>Innovators Mindset</b><br />If you have ever listened to or follow <a href="https://twitter.com/gcouros" target="_blank">George Couros</a>, then you understand that he has a great way of using short, but thoughtful statements that make you really think about education and what it could be. I always try and catch one of his sessions at ISTE because he never fails to provide great thoughts that can easily be shared at admin meetings, staff meetings, or lunch time conversations. Here are a few (as accurate as I could be) that he used in the session Developing the Innovators Mindset.<br />
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<li>Relationships are the most important piece in schools now and in the future</li>
<li>Biggest barrier is our own way of thinking</li>
<li>Think different</li>
<li>Digital factory model is still factory model</li>
<li>Technology is more than a tool</li>
<li>Technology can be transformational in hands of a great teacher</li>
<li>Would you want to spend all day in your own classroom</li>
<li>Everyone is a teacher and a learner<br /><b><br /></b></li>
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<b>The PLN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</b>One of the hardest thing for many educators to do is build their PLN. Taking that first step from <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBA_MsycijxeBjGihfzDNtLE3tdjeMrSJNm_oCMINJbyAY13gZcXBv_mMICh_sTa4pKZVsXiW9EPH3Vj71yWbjcodS7FuFfMmkltbkModoZYrL28gEv2BFEM9554vcbxrCNPp-hhVsvtel/s1600/7829807594_c5f460a518_q.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBA_MsycijxeBjGihfzDNtLE3tdjeMrSJNm_oCMINJbyAY13gZcXBv_mMICh_sTa4pKZVsXiW9EPH3Vj71yWbjcodS7FuFfMmkltbkModoZYrL28gEv2BFEM9554vcbxrCNPp-hhVsvtel/s1600/7829807594_c5f460a518_q.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Courtesy Roy Blumenthal CC 2.0</span></td></tr>
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picking which social media platform to venturing out of the four walls of the classroom can be scary, but absolutely necessary to grow as an individual. The session, The Passionate PLN, by <a href="https://twitter.com/TyrnaD" target="_blank">Jessica Raleigh</a>, was a very informative hands on experience that introduced Twitter to everyone as a way to connect and make a difference. A highlight was The Breakfast Club, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23bfc530&src=typd" target="_blank">#BFC530</a>, as a place to participate in a one question twitter chat, every weekday at 5:30am. If you are looking to build your PLN and connect with others, give it a look <a href="http://www.bfc530.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b>ISTE 2016</b><br />
The ISTE conference has a little something for everyone and is consistent with the variety of sessions that makes it a good destination. If you are an educator looking for an event with options, want to grow your PLN, and meet like minded peers, then I would recommend educating your school boards and administrators on the opportunities <a href="http://conference.iste.org/2016/" target="_blank">ISTE </a>has to offer. But remember, finding local events, lunch and learns, Twitter chats, coffee on a Saturday morning, also provides collaborative time and opportunity for connections to help us grow professionally. Get out of those four walls and see what others are doing and share!Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-9655287555549379042015-05-04T20:16:00.000-07:002015-05-04T20:16:23.827-07:00Blast From the Past<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHekVA6vPTE3e1FrbWuUhB-L_o7awzuo230n9beJKNw_CDxoSeyLyYdvfJSzJY150sRSuNJ4axraUoqHdKsawEiEEJBE1DbMGo0U8RFPh_bwCSa42JQhyphenhyphenoSSQIiVY9KD_NtZ9sEmeF4kW/s1600/loose-leaf-154161_640.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHekVA6vPTE3e1FrbWuUhB-L_o7awzuo230n9beJKNw_CDxoSeyLyYdvfJSzJY150sRSuNJ4axraUoqHdKsawEiEEJBE1DbMGo0U8RFPh_bwCSa42JQhyphenhyphenoSSQIiVY9KD_NtZ9sEmeF4kW/s200/loose-leaf-154161_640.png" width="200" /></a><b>Spring Cleaning</b></div>
Recently I spent some time going through my office filing cabinet. When you take on a task like cleaning out old hanging file folders, or any place with "old stuff", it is best to build in a little nostalgia time. I was surprised however to find the folder consuming all my time was labeled tech agendas. As I started going back through the years, it turned into a great moment to reflect on where we were and how far we have come as a tech team. The successes and failures, the innovative ideas and the not so innovative ideas that didn't work out, but provided direction for the future, all very valuable information. I haven't saved a paper agenda in quite some time now and won't be starting again, but this is one Spring cleaning effort that turned into a great opportunity to reflect on the journey over the years. If we are to continue innovating and moving forward it is important not to forget the past, happy cleaning! Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-89722385549444747402015-04-04T10:43:00.000-07:002015-04-04T10:43:25.332-07:00Full STEM Ahead<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">New Kid in Town<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy Tech Crunch</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The tech industry has been involved with the medical industry for years, however recently there have been a few big announcements that may highlight the future of tech disruption in medical breakthroughs. Google and Johnson & Johnson have announced they will work together to build a robotic surgery assistance platform. Apple is also recently in the news with the release of their research kit, which will basically turn the iPhone into a diagnostic tool with it's data collecting capabilities. Stanford and other universities are already planning to take advantage of the technology for studying the affects of chemotherapy and heart disease patients, and have developed apps to work with the kit. Collaboration between the pharmaceutical companies and the tech industry is important in my opinion as I feel it will be outside industries that will truly push medical breakthroughs and change peoples lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: black;">Support It</b><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><br />One thing we do know is that it will take scientists, engineers, programmers, and innovators to keep these collaborations happening and progress moving forward. The United States has always been a global leader in this area, however many are worried we do not have the interest from students or teachers necessary to continue being a global leader and focus on STEM is needed. The US Department of Education has provided data to show the increase in STEM related jobs by 2020 and said that "Only 16 percent of American high school seniors are proficient in mathematics and interested in a STEM career." These numbers explain the push by the President and the Committee on STEM Education for creating the <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/stem_stratplan_2013.pdf" target="_blank">5-Year Strategic Plan</a> that guides efforts in improving STEM education. Along with the federal initiative there are many other <a href="http://www.stemedcoalition.org/" target="_blank">organizations</a> around the United States dedicated to bringing awareness to the importance of STEM education, a quick search will return valuable STEM resources in your state.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Old News</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You may be thinking that STEM is old news, high schools are full of STEM programs and science and math classes are being taught at all levels. The debate is not one for me to dig into here, but exposure to STEM and critical thinking skills are more important now than ever due to the vast amounts of information we have at our fingertips. Providing our students with opportunities and exposure to these skills will help with any path they will travel and should be a priority. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you are involved with a particular STEM related program or organization please share in the comment section. Thanks!</span></div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-15244805796175072772015-03-03T12:07:00.000-08:002015-03-03T13:25:31.940-08:00Go Aunt Myrna!<b>Hi World</b><br />
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I was sitting in my office recently and heard some laughter and then a loud, "Aunt Myrna has a Facebook account" come from our Student Data Technician's office. My curiosity was immediately peaked and further investigation was in order. It turns out that Aunt Myrna is a 94 year old young lady who just opened a Facebook account and her first post was rather refreshing.<br />
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<b>New Tricks</b><br />
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Rehashing the same old discussion about change, and why it is so difficult for many, isn't what I necessarily want to get into with this post, but it is hard to ignore. We often hear that young folks like change because they are not afraid of anything and our older population has nothing to lose. Those reasons may be partially true, however our comfort zones become so warm and fuzzy with routine, that stepping outside of them is to risky and this prohibits us from learning new tricks. <br />
<b><br />Inspiration</b></div>
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Aunt Myrna's actions honesty inspired me to write this post, as simple as it may sound, her asking for patience in her first post makes perfect sense. She's putting it out there that she is trying something new and is gonna need help, but it didn't stop her from making a change to stay in touch with family and friends. If we are going to move forward and continually improve in the workplace, home, and anywhere we are, change is necessary. Thanks Aunt Myrna, happy posting! </div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2100692626849563549.post-81481826184366647922015-01-21T12:27:00.001-08:002015-01-21T12:27:23.306-08:0025 Pound Backpack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>My Back!</b><br />Have you picked up one of your kiddos backpacks lately and immediately thought, oh my gosh that seems heavy? I often compare my backpack that contains a laptop, iPad, and miscellaneous cables to theirs that are full of books, binders, and pencils, and there is no comparison. I literally weighed one of them recently and it weighed 25 pounds, which I thought was crazy heavy. After digging into the backpack, I found the culprits to be a math book and a social studies book. The good news is the school provides two sets of books and the students do not have to transport them back and forth on a daily basis, however it leads us back to the conversation about textbooks and where we are at with them as an educational community.<br /><br /><b>Timing</b><br />
I have to be honest, I started this post a few weeks back and it has been sitting quietly waiting to be finished. When I read the recent <a href="http://www.centerdigitaled.com/" target="_blank">Center for Digital Education</a> article covering the FCC Commissioner's <a href="http://www.centerdigitaled.com/news/FCC-Commissioner-Says-Its-Time-to-Reinvent-Textbooks-Teaching.html" target="_blank">discussion</a> in San Francisco, the timing seemed appropriate. Jessica Rosenworcel addressed an audience of tech industry professionals, updating them on the recent FCC initiatives, encouraging "digital disruption within the teaching and textbook industry." Rosenworcel pointed out a few things that I feel are worth sharing here.<br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">“In the rest of the world, we have an infinite array of digital tools to </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">change our civic and commercial lives</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">. Yet somehow we’ve put up some barriers at the school doors, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">It’s time we started inviting them in and wrestling </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;">with them and doing some good things”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px;">"As a market estimated at $17 billion and with price increases in the last decade at 800 percent, the textbook industry’s services burden educators and students alike — average school districts only able to afford textbook purchases every seven to 10 years"</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">“I just think it’s crazy if we keep on doing what we’ve done before because the world and the job opportunities that are out there look remarkably different"</span></span></span></li>
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These statements have all been said before in a number of ways by others looking to lighten up backpacks and promote change in a system that has been relatively unchanged for a number of years. I applaud anyone who takes the initiative to start these conversations as a way to reflect on the education we are providing our students. We must provide a relevant experience and not allow a $17 billion industry to give us what we have always had because that is what we have always done. Industry will provide what the educational community wants, so the conversation is important to have at the school, district, and community level. Listen to our teachers and students and allow their ideas, thoughts and needs, drive the industry to develop the disruption that will keep our classrooms moving forward.<br />
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<b>Snob</b><br />
I want to make it clear that I am not a book snob by any means and would never advocate for throwing all classroom texts in a big bonfire. Going to the extreme in any direction is what has kept technology a conversation piece, big shiny object, instead of just an everyday part of our classroom environment. But, providing our students with something other than the same basic textbooks like we have always done, is a conversation that is very necessary for today's classroom. </div>
Jon_Castelhanohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07242404495505236331noreply@blogger.com2