Login, Play & Learn

Fourth graders have been creating Cyberchase accounts at http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games.html so that they can keep track of their scores and progress with selected Cyberchase math & science games. Students challenge themselves to improve their skills as the play more games. In addition to the challenging games, the process of creating a user name and password is part of our conversation about Internet Safety. Students practice creating a unique user name and private password with a password reminder question that can help them retrieve a forgotten password.

Following NECC09

I've been back from NECC09 for a few days and I have had many thoughts for a blog entry and what I want to do for followup. My biggest hope after all the energy and interchange of ideas during the conference is that I will spend more of my days on initiating change and less on responding to every question, and even worse, getting distracted by equipment issues. We will have a school of all mobile equipment this year as we replace all the iMacs with MacBooks and iBooks.

What do I want that equipment enhancement to mean? Last year I determined that at the elementary level one focus that it is important is "Communication and Collaboration". This year I want to build a practice of classroom blogging that moves from just sharing student work to collaborating with others in meaningful ways. I believe that if we do that with 8, 9 & 10 year olds we are giving them a foundation for learning through social networking that will be indispensable to their futures. AND, for now, they are actively learning with others which changes the whole enterprise of schooling from an individual endeavor to a shared responsibility for quality.