What Is Wordle? 5 Ways To Use The Latest Puzzle Craze In The Classroom

Source: Wordle

If you haven’t yet heard about – or played – Wordle, you will soon. The current avalanche of Twitter mentions run about 50 / 50 between “I'm addicted to Wordle!!” and “What the heck is Wordle??” Our friend Dr. Gina Sipley (@GSipley) tipped us off to the craze via a writer's poignant plea in McSweeney’s for a moment's escape from the Omicron nightmare.

At its heart, Wordle is just a guessing game. Players have six chances to guess a randomly generated, five-letter word. After each entry, the tiles light up to signify whether the letter is not in the word (gray), in the word but in the wrong location (yellow), or in the correct location (green). The rules reappear at the start of each game. CNET, of course, has a terrific, lengthier explanation, complete with smart tips and tricks.

Source: Powerlanguage.co.uk

For teachers, this web-based game hits all of the technological sweet spots: 1) it's free; 2) with no logins or accounts; and 3) works on any device. And its addictive gaming properties turn out to be the exact same characteristics that make Wordle ideal for use in education:

Source: Wordle

Language And Linguistics

Wordle is the perfect opening activity to a Language Arts lesson, at almost any level. It also offers countless opportunities to explore the building blocks of the English language – such as vowel and consonant combinations (phonemes, diphthongs, etc.); common starting and ending pairings; and familiar vs. rare individual letters. The shear number of five-letter words in the English language (over 150,000) presents the challenge. Solving the riddle, however, is simple phonemic detective work.

Logic

Any mathematics or logic course could make great hay out of Wordle’s elegant solving patterns. The reasoning relates clearly to geometric proofs and properties. An entire period could be spent leading the class through a group-solve. It echoes those LSAT puzzles when Priya is holding a red balloon and Xavier can only sit next to the dog in the yellow vest. Philosophy professor C. Thi Nguyen has an interesting thread about Wordle’s game theory and “agency expansion.”

Homeroom Or Advisory

Wordle is a lively activity to engage students in a quick challenge. The unique thrill is that only one puzzle appears each day. This creates an increased anticipation and savoring of the moment. You can welcome students to work in groups or to compete in speed vs. accuracy. Be a sport and play the game yourself, to show that you’re not afraid of some friendly fun.

Source: Wordle

Visual Thinking

The clean, elegant interface belies the effectiveness of its iconography. The simple visual codes contain the game’s entire meaning and feedback. The sharable results, rendered only in colored cubes, represent masterful lessons in visual literacy and graphicacy.

Social Learning

Everyone plays the same puzzle each day, which lends a contagious camaraderie to the effort. Results are easy to share on social media. This does lead to some humble brags and “woe-is-me,” but it's refreshing to find some fun and support during these oft-disconnected times. You might even run into a celebrity or two.

As an aside, we are old enough to remember when a “Wordle” referred to a visual cloud representing the frequency of word usage in a passage.

Finally, don’t tell, but there is an open-source version on GitHub where you can play the game as many times as you’d like.

Building A Cohesive Community — Where Educators Become Neighbors

Source: Michael Maslin, The New Yorker; Condi Nast; Art.com (for sale)

One of our favorite New Yorker cartoons by Michael Maslin depicts a woman at a party replying to a suited gentleman, “I’m hearing a lot of buzzwords from you, but I’m not getting any buzz.”

Educational conferences can be like that. Despite the best intentions of dedicated presenters, sometimes the reruns of familiar talks can feel like a litany of mots du jour. The session titles can feel like “Christmas Tree” bills in Congress — so nicknamed because Senators will hang endless amendments on a well-intentioned law, such that the final text is a mishmash of unrelated pet projects. Session headlines often do the same, smooshing as many buzzwords into a 64-character limit as possible.

Source: Building Learning Communities 2019

That’s why the Building Learning Communities (BLC) conference from November Learning is one of our annual favorites. Alan November, an international leader in edtech, personally invites expert educators from around the world to share on-the-ground experiences and best-in-class techniques. This recent BLC19 conference, from July 16 - 19 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, lived up to its pedigree.

For example, one of the new friends we met from South Africa introduced us to how diversity education is framed in his community. Personally, we have been struggling with terminology, from the outdated “tolerant community” to the slightly better “inclusive community.” Both of those, however, position one group in higher status that “tolerates” or “includes” the other group.

Source: ASIDE 2019

In his South African school district, they use the notion of a “social cohesion.” For some reason, this immediately struck a chord with us. "Cohesion" refers to unity and solidarity. It doesn’t give one group more agency than the other. It suggests effort with lasting effects. It implies disparate elements coming together to coalesce around a common core. We really liked his suggestion, and we are eager to take this framing back to our own school.

In fact, our session about reimagining a curriculum based on social justice inspired all sorts of meaningful and spontaneous exchanges. Many audience members offered valuable resources, while others raised due concerns about a wording shift from “social justice” to “social good.” This thoughtful debate played out even further over Twitter.

Source: @theASIDEblog

We want to thank the many individuals who attended our conversations and who lent global perspectives to the collective thinking:

• When Intent Meets Agency: Reimagining A Curriculum Based on Social Justice
• Visualizing The Complexities Of Time and Place

Other highlights of BLC19 included:

• "Healthy Grading," by Joy Kirr (@JoyKirr) - Kirr led a master class in fostering a debate about grading, with a group activity that worked so well, we are going to steal it for our own faculty meetings
• Keynote, by Shaya Zarkesh (@ShayaZarkesh) - As the teenage founder of Polyup, Zarkesh introduced us to one of the most intriguing math apps we’ve ever seen, combining true gamification with adaptable learning
• "Innovative Leadership," by Matthew X. Joseph (@MatthewXJoseph) - Joseph reminded us that “only tasks can be managed – not time,” and we should, therefore, prioritize efficiency and communication
• "Beyond TED Talks: Voice, Influence and Impact," by Caitlin Krause (@MindWise_CK) - Krause emphasized how stories start with connections. They are "something I give in a box and care about" to share with others; to hear them, we need to be present.
• "Encouraging and Supporting Leaders To Foster Social and Emotional Learning Through Technology," by Vincenza Gallissio (@vgallisso), Christine Zapata (@CGoffredoZapata), and Jackie Patanio (JPatanio) - This group from NYCDOE, District 31 implemented a district-wide SEL program that would be the envy of most schools. It exemplified a growth mindset toward professional development.

Finally, the conference’s prime location near Copley Square and Back Bay made for lush local dining choices — from our regular “welcome to town” lunch at the Parish Cafe, known for its eclectic sandwiches from star Beantown chefs; to the spicy pasta, fresh mussels, and sincere service at Lucca (despite having a full glass of Cabernet knocked onto our white pants by an embarrassed busboy); to the French Mediterranean flavors of Mistral, featuring a summer corn soup with lobster and chive leaves, a fabulous halibut over shrimp risotto, and a sumptuous Maine crab ravioli.

We have full heads and full stomachs after a conference like this.

The Building Learning Communities Conference More Than Lives Up To Its Name

Source: ASIDE 2018

Source: November Learning

This year’s Building Learning Communities - Education Conference 2018 more than lived up to its goal of fostering dialogues between talented, dedicated educators. Sponsored by November Learning (@NLearning), the BLC18 conference took place from Tuesday, July 24, to Friday, July 28, 2018, in the beautiful and perfectly situated Boston Park Plaza Hotel. The industry-leading keynote speakers and the expert presenters were all chosen personally by Alan November (@globalearner).

We don’t think we have ever been to an educational get-together, whether formal or informal, that created as true a sense of community as this past week's conference. The engaged, committed educators were all open and candid in sharing ideas and dilemmas, and the tone of the conference was set early by Alan November to encourage conversation among every voice in the room.

Source: Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence; Lafayette PTA

The opening keynote address by Dr. Marc A. Brackett, PhD, (@marcbrackett, @YaleEmotion) stressed the importance of emotional intelligence, as he introduced the audience to Yale’s RULER approach and mood meter. The closing keynote provided a fitting bookend to this message as Ted Dintersmith (@dintersmith) author of Most Likely To Succeed and What School Could Be, as well as the film "Most Likely To Succeed," talked passionately about how schools can reinvent themselves to better serve today's learners.

Source: Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence

As non-computer programmers, we were somewhat bewildered by Stephen Wolfram's (@stephen_wolfram) talk on Thursday afternoon. We were amazed, however, by the potential of his WolframAlpha search engine, which seems ready to upend modern information-gathering. Its “smart” algorithm coalesces data and far-flung facts on any topic (or combination of topics) to make most traditional homework assignments obsolete.

All of the presenters were clearly prepared and heartfelt in offering a good balance between practical teaching tools and theoretical learning frameworks. Some of our favorite sessions included:

• A well-organized and hands-on talk about differentiation and assessment in “Thinking Beyond The Test” from Jessica Colavecchia (@cola226)
• A wealth of resources to teach young children everything from computational thinking skills to unique 3D printed designs in "Yes they CAN! Code, Create, and Make in Early Childhood" from Pana Asavavatana (@PanaAsavavatana)
• A terrific roster of apps and add-ons for “Improving Your Digital Workflow in a 1:1 Environment” by Chrystal Hoe (@cehoerun)
• An inspiring presentation using routines to empower students to find their own voices in ”Charlottesville 2017: Using Visible Thinking To Support Courageous Conversations” by Marie Reed (@MReed_LAB) and Michelle Mathieson (@MicheleSTABTRC)
• An eye-opening workshop on “Creating Digital Portfolios Using Google Sites” by Sara McNulty (@mcnulty_sara)

"Math is overweighted; reading and writing are underrated." - @dintersmith #BLC18 #engchat #sschat

— theASIDEblog (@theASIDEblog) July 27, 2018

We would like to thank all of the collaborative teachers and administrators who attended both of our sessions: "Where Learning Meets Design: Taking Control Of The Visual Classroom" and "Student Videos: Empower Creativity And Visual Journalism." We would also like to thank everyone for generously returning after the hotel fire alarm interrupted the first presentation. We greatly appreciate the range of questions and ideas that were shared during the talks, and we are grateful for the kind feedback we received.

"The Innovation Playlist" – How to change schools with energy, agency, and creativity to bring education into today:https://t.co/WYyemhNbmb
via @dintersmith
at #BLC18 Conference

— Mr. Hall (@BCDS_History_78) July 27, 2018

We were also honored to be interviewed by Bob Greenberg (@bobgreenberg) for his Brainwaves Anthology series on YouTube. His videos celebrate teachers who make an impact, and his interviews with international thought-leaders highlight many of the progressive ideas changing traditional models of learning.

Love the way that @cola226 is using many engaging, simple tech polls & games to foster thought & participation among the audience in thinking about the types & goals for authentic assessments #blc18

— theASIDEblog (@theASIDEblog) July 25, 2018

Finally, we would like to thank the tremendous conference organizers who staged such an incredibly smooth and well-run week of professional development. They fed us extremely well, with a full breakfast every morning, a welcoming dinner for presenters, drinks and snacks throughout, evening cocktail receptions, and, of course, the favorite dessert dance on Thursday.

We should be tapping the intrinsic motivation of our students who have ideas to learn about what is relevant to them. It's the unconventional approach to learning that will move them forward for the future. #BLC18 Thank you! @dintersmith #edtech #edreform #edpolicy pic.twitter.com/v31GuF0dYr

— Ms. Russac (@BCDS_History_56) July 27, 2018

If you are in the Back Bay area of Boston, Erbaluce is a charming little Italian restaurant two blocks from the hotel, and Lucca is an absolutely delicious extension near the Prudential Center of the popular North End establishment.

We look forward to seeing everyone at BLC19!

Schools, Please Don’t Ban The Fidget Spinner - 9 Reasons Why This Is The Best Possible Fad

Source: Various

If you haven’t yet seen them, you will soon. In a matter of weeks, the latest kid craze has emerged, twirling in the hands of every middle schooler. Boys and girls alike now arrive in class with a plastic spinning whatchamacallit that they whirl ad infinitum throughout the day.

These popular trinkets are called fidget spinners, or some variation thereof. They are not new, but they are the newest trend. They feature either two or three prongs jutting out from a middle circle that, thanks to weighted bearings or loose-fitting rotators, allows the device to spin for long lengths of time between the thumb and forefinger. Some may have interchangeable parts. Some are made of plastic or steel. But all of them are currently occupying the idle minutes of children, many of whom have invented clever spinning stunts and tricks that can be seen across YouTube.

Source: ASIDE 2017

As with all kid crazes, it’s doubtlessly true that some teachers and schools are already in the process of outlawing them. Unfortunately, there is sometimes the impulse to ban first, think second. Pokemon cards, for example, have been largely prohibited from elementary classrooms, because they potentially lead to distracted and upset children. We would argue (as would one of our students, who wrote an editorial for our school newspaper) that teachers should help kids work through their interpersonal issues when a child, for example, gets upset after a Pokemon trade gone awry.

Source: Imgur

Perhaps fidget spinners are distracting. Perhaps they are “toys” that should remain at home. We would urge schools, however, to please embrace the spinners. Please celebrate the outlets of vibrancy and restlessness. Our seventh-graders let us try them out, and gosh darn it, they’re pretty neat.

Here are nine reasons that fidget spinners are the best fad of the decade:

1. They activate the mind - Kinetic energy of the hands translates to synaptic responses in the brain. Even repetitive tasks, such as spinning a widget, engage the mind and let the imaginative juices flow. Exercising or taking walks has long been recognized as helping with learning. Fidget spinners offer micro-exercise, to stimulate thinking at a child’s desk.

2. They (might) help distractible kids - A broad and worthy debate is taking place about whether these spinners truly help children with ADHD. Some argue that the trinkets are an outlet for excess energy. Others purport the opposite, that they distract rather than focus. Either way, all educators acknowledge that some kids are always going to lean back in their chairs and squirm in their seats. These toys do give active children an outlet to exercise their energy, spinning the prongs again and again and again.

3. They are harmless - At long last, here is a fad that is truly innocuous. Unlike bottle flipping (which makes a mess) or slime (which spreads its goo), these spinners have no injury quotient. They are all about one user and his or her play.

4. They are not about status - There is no prestige factor with fidget spinners. Unlike Ugg boots or Hamilton tickets, these are (relatively) inexpensive, available at local 7-Eleven stores. They are a novelty, a bauble, rather than a currency for popularity or exclusion.

Source: Dorkly

5. They are non-gendered - Fidget spinners constitute one of the only trends in recent memory that is not boy- or girl-specific. It is not about cat headbands or jeggings or friendship bracelets. It is not about football cards or anime or numbers of Instagram friends. This whim is completely benign.

6. They invite creativity - Kids are currently figuring out clever and advanced ways to keep the widgets spinning. Take a look at YouTube to see all sorts of neat and inventive stunt.

7. They are personal - Twirling a plastic knickknack is an individual activity. There is no competition and no trading. Instead, the activity welcomes a sense of mindfulness, to center one’s thoughts for a moment.

8. They involve the hands - In a world of passive screen time and binge television watching and all-night video gaming, these spinners actually celebrate motor coordination. They keep the student moving, and they enhance the dexterity of actual digits, rather than digital electronics.

9. They are a single investment - Students only need one. They are not collectibles. They don’t require scrapbooking or updating or charm-braceleting. They are a one-time purchase, to be enjoyed as long as the fad lasts.

Why Multitasking Is A Myth AND Bad For Our Children

Source: ASIDE 2017

Today's students live in media-dominated bubbles. They stream Netflix, check Snapchat, Facetime friends, and scroll Instagram — simultaneously on laptops, iPads, and phones — all while purporting to do their evening homework. Parents tell us that homework now takes five or six hours a night for their children. But candidly, most of our parent conferences end up being conversations about how to wrestle devices away from their kids. Families acknowledge that more often than not, their sons and daughters are in bedrooms with doors closed and with devices on full blast. It's a mystery how much "work" is actually being done.

Source: NBC News

That's because today's media-saturated world demands multitasking to parse the competing inputs. "Multitasking" seems like a badge of honor for modern professionals and learners. But for most children and adults, multitasking is a myth that deserves to be disproved. Multitasking by its definition relies on interruption. It (wrongfully) claims disruption as a blessing. Countless scientific studies have refuted this premise. Instead, every endeavor benefits more from full attention, not fractured thought. Every test, quiz, or homework assignment benefits more from dedicated study, not digital disturbance.

A helpful video from NBC News tries to make sense of this contemporary obsession with multitasking. The scientists quoted in the clip argue that monotasking is in fact more vital for brain development. They note that interruptions of fewer than three seconds can double the rate of errors on simple tasks. Multitasking can lead to a difficulty in ignoring irrelevant information and in memorizing facts, both of which are crucial for young learners.

Source: ASIDE 2017

Here are some other articles that provide terrific ideas for teachers and parents about how to negotiate the multitasking impulse in our children:

• Students Think They Can Multitask. Here's Proof They Can't.
• Media Multi-Tasking: Effects On Students' Attention
• Multitasking Increases Study Time, Lowers Grades
• You'll Never Learn! Students Can't Resist Multitasking, And It's Impairing Their Memory

When Grammar Is Animated, Usage Sticks

Source: TED Ed

We are huge fans of TED Ed: Lessons Worthing Sharing. The short, animated videos on a variety of topics deliver the perfect dose of information to help students with content areas. Because educators write the scripts for these animations, they hit that sweet spot of just enough to make the point while engaging the eye as well. We also routinely publish some of these videos that don't necessarily fit into our curriculum on our Humanities Enrichment Tumblr. As a result, our students have become big fans as well.

This summer, TED published a host of videos about grammar that we thought were extremely helpful with our learners. Two deal with punctuation, and the others talk about word usage. Emma Bryce is the author of three of the four, and she has a real knack for simplifying tricky grammatical problems.

When To Use Apostrophes 

In the first video, entitled "When To Use Apostrophes," educator Laura McClure reviews the sometimes complicated usage. The visuals make it easy for learners to understand.

How To Use A Semicolon

Emma Bryce's's video called "How To Use A Semicolon" explains the correct way to use the semi-colon, and the animator, Mark Storer, creates a playful character that knocks out periods as if in an arcade game. She "clarifies best practices for the semi-confusing semicolon."

When To Use Me, Myself, and I

In Bryce's second video, she addresses "When To Use Me, Myself, and I." Once again, she skillfully clarifies the different role each one plays in a sentence, even though all three refer to the same thing.

How Misused Modifiers Can Hurt Your Writing

The last Bryce video, called "How Misused Modifiers Can Hurt Your Writing," follows in the same vein as the others. She uses her expertise to explain how misplaced modifiers create ambiguity. The animation makes it easy to see how words, phrases, and clauses in the wrong places create problems instead of adding helpful information.

“The Understudent” — Notice The Kids Waiting In The Wings And Turn Every Child Into A Star

Source: ASIDE 2015

Every teacher knows the high-achieving students in his or her classroom. These are the trusted “high verbal” pupils who raise their hands, who answer each question, who quote the night’s reading, and who ferry the conversation. It’s a tacit trust between educator and child — the rewards are mutual. The lesson can proceed according to the teacher’s design, and the extroverts can succeed according to the traditional model.

But what about the introverts?

What about the “low verbals”?

What about the children who read the homework, who complete the worksheets, who memorize the vocabulary words, who post their projects, and who code their webpages — but who don’t speak up?

Most of a typical class is a chorus. Most of the kids who fill the seats and laugh at the jokes and fulfill their studies do not win awards. They do not give speeches at graduation. They do not take a bow with an audience on its feet.

Source: ASIDE 2015

The majority of learners will not play the leads. They will fill the background and be part of the cast. They will not see their names on the marquee, and they won’t even think to deserve it.

If school is a stage, then few actors will sing the solos or shine in soliloquies.

Most kids will be understudies — or “understudents.”

They will know their lines, they will be at every practice, they will work like heck — and yet they will receive little recognition. Because that’s how life is. And when they do step away from the ensemble and raise their hands to give a correct answer, it will be a surprise, an anomaly. 

The greatest challenge, therefore, for classroom teachers is to identify the talent waiting in the wings. Who is lurking behind the scenes? Who is quieting her voice within the chorus? Who is restraining herself within the dance?

Somewhere, a student just needs a break, some encouragement, and a teacher who believes in him to break out and become a star.

Think about the Tom Bradys and the Kurt Warners who needed a first string player to falter just so they could have a chance.

Source: ASIDE 2015

Too many times the demands of high stakes testing and rigid teacher evaluations throw educators into survival mode, where they can barely keep their own heads above water, much less look out for a glimmer of light among their docile classrooms.

But that’s the job. That’s the key. Getting to know each child on a personal level is more important than drilling rote facts into their heads. All of us can think back to the mentor who believed in us, who pulled us out of our comfort zones.

As the new school year gets underway, one of our resolutions is to seek out the understudents. We also strive to recognize the kids with underparents. They don’t make a fuss, they don't complain, and too often, therefore, we attend to the squeaky wheels.

But the modest geniuses in our midst need us more than ever. If we don’t pluck them from obscurity, then they may end up seeing themselves as members of the throng — humble nodders in the choir, content not to speak up, not to dare, not to lead, and not to share all of the insights within their quick and boisterous minds.

SXSWEdu 2015: Education For All - How Far Have We Come?

Source: TES Global

An important and undeniable thrust of the 2015 SXSWEdu conference has been the attempt to reconcile the nation's educational inequalities. Marquee panels and sofa conversations alike have centered on this notion of access – access to college, to technology, to careers, to mentors, to professional development, to contemporary learning tools.

Last night's reception at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library made this theme immediate in bringing together historians and educators to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.

Source: LBJ Presidential Library, ASIDE 2015

This morning, Second Lady Of The United States Dr. Jill Biden kept this dialogue moving forward in leading a summit by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation about redesigning higher education to fuel student success. Dr. Biden noted that education is the great equalizer, the basis for a better life. For this reason, she stressed, "Teaching is not what I do. It's who I am."

A panel discussion later with Jamie Casap, Timothy Jones, and Isis Stephanie Cerda focused more intently on the need for diversity within educational technology. Similar messages emerged in workshops on "Equal Opportunity For Deeper Learning," "My Brother's Keeper: One Year Later," and "Teaching A New Narrative For Black Male Achievement."

Source: ASIDE 2015

An equally critical thread appeared in the number of talks about empowering girls and women in technology and entrepreneurship. For example, EdTechWomen was named this year's official SXSWEdu Change Maker. Other titles included: "Women Disruptors 2.0," "Paying It Forward: Leveraging Today's Female Voice," "Empowering Girls And Women To Lead," "Digital Diversity: Minority Women In EdTech," and "EdTech For Educational Inclusion."

Another highlight of the day was Kristin Ziemke’s and Cheryl Boes’ presentation of innovative project examples to engage young learners with voice, choice, and audience. Their use of easy apps and elementary blogging revealed the many avenues that let children demonstrate understanding in exciting, authentic ways.

A later workshop featured a panel of thought leaders who promoted creativity in schools. They championed "less talking and more doing." The speakers paraded both theoretical and tangible ways to inspire kids as imaginative thinkers. As Jonathan Plucker, Professor at the University Of Connecticut, noted, “creativity is about constraints.” A teacher’s task, therefore, is to help students identify constraints and then decide which ones to get rid of, which ones to ignore, and which ones to live with.

Ultimately, after a day of education and introspection, of creativity and contemplation, we recalled John Ashbery's lines from Three Poems, which speak to the impossibility of certainty and the elusiveness of knowing:

"The term ignorant is indeed perhaps an overstatement, implying as it does that something is known somewhere, whereas in reality we are not even sure of this: we in fact cannot aver with any degree of certainty that we are ignorant. Yet this is not so bad; we have at any rate kept our open-mindedness -- that, at least, we may be sure that we have -- and are not in any danger, or so it seems, of freezing into the pious attitudes of those true spiritual bigots whose faces are turned toward eternity and who therefore can see nothing.” 

SXSWEdu 2015: The Boy Who Beeps - Who Can Speak The Language Of EdTech?

Source: SXSWEdu

Now in its fifth year, the 2015 SXSWEdu rally in the Texas midland is more inclusive than ever. The panelpicker judges eschewed trendy topics like flipped learning and Big Data in favor of deeper discussions about Social Emotional Learning and Gamification. Major themes that ran through the first day included programming in schools, authentic PBL, and contemporary professional development.

A major highlight of the day was hearing about the impressive Coded Curriculum implemented by Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The school has embraced a "launch / test / refine" approach to incorporate coding into every academic discipline. The faculty actively seeks to "make excellent mistakes" as they teach children the "New Basics" of open-ended problem solving, non-linear thinking, and collaboration.

Source: Sunni Brown

Another centerpiece of the sessions was Sunni Brown's mesmerizing workshop about "how to stay curious." A guru of visual thinking and a doctor of doodling, Brown reminded the crowd that visual language is a river native to cultures across the world that instills a powerful cognitive awareness.  

The spirit of sharing was genuine today at SXSWEdu. Every attendee was universally open and eager to connect. Yet a question kept trickling through the meandering hallways like the incessant drip of Austin’s rain: How many actual classroom teachers were present at the conference? When Brown asked how many classroom educators were in the room, fewer than ten percent among the hundreds raised their hands.

Source: ASIDE 2015

Throughout the day, we met: an online charter school principal, a start-up edupreneur, an NAACP coordinator, a not-for-profit founder, an NEA staffer, a Museum and Library Services researcher, a corporate communications director, a Learning Sciences professor, a former math instructor in Ethiopia, and a doctoral candidate who moonlights at Khan Academy. We met other interesting people, too, but we did not meet one classroom teacher.

We know they were there. But they seemed few and far between. Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe it signals that SXSWEdu is not for everyday teachers. Maybe the passionate attendees perceive a sea change in education that is more galvanizing than "regular" teachers can see. Or maybe not.

Either way, it speaks to a road diverging in a not-yet-understood wood. If start-ups and online outlets are careening onto their own edtech on-ramp, what happens to the students and teachers driving in the HOV lane? 

For example, after participating in one session about a full-scale coding curriculum pushed across all disciplines, we attended a completely different panel about whether edtech really offers any solution at all. It feels strange that this question is still being asked: Is edtech a panacea or a distraction?

Source: General Electric

The nuanced nature of this tacit tech tug-of-war reminded us of a General Electric ad from September 2014 called "The Boy Who Beeps." The touching ad follows the birth of a baby who can speak the language of technology. The commercial intends to tout GE's omnipresence in electronics, but to us it highlighted the children today who are always plugged in, always wired. 

Kids are born who can seemingly speak to machines, communicate with the digital world, control their own access to e-learning. What happens, though, when their days become disconnected? Can they muster the skills to navigate a tangible, interpersonal world? Or better yet, can they make things, create their own machines? Are they controlled by the very machines they rely on? And what about children who don’t have machines?

Source: General Electric

In the edtech learning space, are there start-ups who talk only to machines – and not to educators? And what about the teachers who cannot (or will not) talk to machines, who can’t negotiate the apps and iPads filling their classes?

By the end of today, we were encouraged. We decided that educators are indeed emerging as a potent force in the digital economy. American Federation Of Teachers President Randi Weingarten noted a change since last year's SXSWEdu. She now hears tech companies asking, “How can we get teachers involved in the process?” She emphasized that with the onslaught of shiny edtech tools, the best advice is to know how to teach first, and to learn to use technology second. Brown echoed the same, saying that digital tools are great, but they're not worth much if we can't use them. The learning is the key.

Our Nominees For The 2014 Edublog Awards

Source: Edublog Awards

If you know an outstanding educator, or if you have benefited this year from the insights of your PLN, consider nominating a teacher-leader for the 2014 Edublog Awards. This 11th-annual recognition pays tribute to the voices who help inspire learning at every level.

Our 2014 nominations are below. Because so many educators make a far-reaching impact every day, be sure to make your own nominations, and tweet out your choices at #eddies14.

Best individual blog - Teach Thought

Terry Heick is a former English teacher who curates a startling array of perspectives. The write-ups range from on-the-ground suggestions for compelling apps to pie-in-the-sky wish lists for education's future.

Best group blog - MindShift

We're not sure how they do it, but the writers at MindShift always seem to be one step ahead of the pack in framing the debate over contemporary learning. Their blog is the first place we go each morning to feel energized for the day.

Source: Edublog Awards

Best ed tech / resource sharing blog - History Tech

Glenn Wiebe (@glennw98) features targeted, detailed, actionable ideas for implementing Social Studies resources in creative, layered ways. We learn a ton from his blending of history and technology.

Best library / librarian blog - The Library Voice, by Shannon McClintock Miller

Shannon Miller (@shannonmmiller) hosts the terrific #tlchat. As a teacher-librarian and tech integration specialist, she also blogs in a lively, authentic voice about literacy and media.

Most influential blog post of the year - "Dear Time Magazine..."
Nancy Chewning of Leading By Example wrote this blistering broadside in response to Time's overly simplistic cover about teachers as "rotten apples." This passionate and eloquent defense of teaching rallied nationwide educators to her cause and reminded families about true service and sacrifice.  

Best individual tweeter - Lisa Palmieri, Ph.D. (@Learn21Tech)

Lisa is a Director of Technology & Learning Innovation whose tweets embody that sweet spot of sharing, collaboration, and progressive thinking. We recommend following her on Twitter for first-class links and engaging chat banter.

Best twitter hashtag - #dtk12chat
The Design Thinking K12 chat on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. is one of our favorites. It invites expert minds and real-life solutions to daily learning debates.

Best free web tool - Padlet

Padlet is the best publishing platform for teachers and students. This free collaborative whiteboard can be customized in both design and url to feature text, links, videos, projects, embed codes, and just about anything else kids can create.

Best educational use of audio / video / visual / podcast - EdChat Radio

EdChat Radio offers a microphone to teachers across the country to explore the latest learning debates. Podcasts in iTunes and the Bam! Radio Network use each week's #EdChat as a springboard into a more detailed colloquy about the modern classroom.

Best open PD - NYSCATE
The New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education hosts the most eye-opening and relaxing annual gathering for tools and concepts that push the leading edge of learning.

Best educational use of a social network - #ptchat and ParentCamp

The generous folks at #ptchat keep our Wednesday evenings hopping with their own superb chat at 9:00 p.m. They also organize "ParentCamps" to open up the unconference opportunity for parents and teachers to come together to help children most effectively.

Best mobile app - Adobe Voice

Adobe Voice is finally the app we've been waiting for. It combines text, images, icons, music, video, and motion into free, seamless videos that can be created in minutes.

Lifetime achievement - Gina Sipley
As a teacher, writer, and edupreneur, Gina Sipley (@GSipley) is doing it all. She's an educator at all levels, from K12 to college, an instructional designer, a global consultant, a Teacher Of The Future, a columnist, a coder, a mentor, a PhD candidate, and a leader among EdTechWomen.  

We wish we could acknowledge all of the kind educators who have made an impact on our teaching this year. Thank you to all of the dedicated professionals making a difference each day.

What Role Should Blogs Play In The Life Of An Educator?

Source: ASIDE, 2014

A recent #EdChat Radio show on the Bam! Radio Network discussed the topic of teacher blogging. We were invited to participate in the broadcast with hosts Tom Whitby (@tomwhitby) and Nancy Blair (@blairteach). The conversation on "What Role Should Blogs Play In The Life Of An Educator?" broached a range of topics about online writing and publishing for both teachers and students. Check out the podcast, or download the show for free from iTunes.

A few of the insights included:

Source: Jackstreet;
Bam! Radio Network

• Blogging levels the playing field; expressing one's opinions about education is no longer about status or access
• Writing a blog is not just about publishing, but it is also about sharing in a community of fellow educators
• Blogging validates the voice of each teacher and allows niche ideas to rise to the mainstream
• Blogging is the new normal for student writing, and teachers can model this literacy
• Commenting is an important skill for young people to master and also an avenue for all teachers to enter the conversation
• Publishing adds a pleasant pressure to stay relevant and maintain helpful resources

For other information about teacher podcasts and online broadcasts, we recommend the full slate of educational programs on the Bam! Network. Also, take a look at the article, "Add #EdChat Radio To Your PLN."

The EdCamp Mindset - How An “Unconference” Can Yield An “Unclass”

Source: ASIDE, 2014

Perhaps only an EdCamp could inspire educators to dedicate a September Saturday to vigorous professional development. Despite the bustle of back-to-school work — and the ache to cling to summer's penultimate weekend — several hundred teachers and parents convened yesterday for the inaugural EdCamp Long Island event at the Willets Road School in Roslyn Heights, NY. 

Source: EdCamp Long Island

Following the mold of the EdCamp movement, this “unconference” featured a roster of organically generated sessions. Rather than being tethered to a prefab schedule of speakers, participants at #EdCampLI could join conversations posted by like-minded souls on a wall-size chart of sticky note suggestions.

Not surprisingly, many of the workshops centered around technology. We were intrigued by Voxer in its combination of voice, text, and photos. We were also excited to try TodaysMeet as an easy backchannel for student questions and feedback. Our two favorite sessions, however, had little to do with edtech and everything to do with communication and leadership. 

Source: Voxer

The meeting about “Transformational Leadership In The 21st Century School" with Dr. Sheilah (@docsheilah) demonstrated a host of tried and true ideas built around the philosophy that just because it’s always been done one way, it doesn’t mean you can’t step back and rethink the purpose. Imagine faculty meetings where the administrators make their own simple “TED” style talks to promote discussions, or an a la carte menu of meeting topics from which teachers get to choose. This forward-thinking approach made it clear that in this type of school, the administrators model the concept of "lead learners."

The round-table discussion on “Fostering 2 Way School-Home Communication” gathered thoughtful teachers and parents who were genuinely motivated (and at times frustrated) in getting school constituencies on the same page. The small-group seminar was organized by principal Dennis Schug (@DJrSchug) of Hampton Bays, NY, and parent Gwen Pescatore (@gpescatore25) of Philadelphia, PA (and #PTchat). The unstructured confab yielded honest questions about the most efficient technologies for communication and the barriers to inclusivity in PTO meetings. There were also creative strategies to welcome non-English-speaking families and adults intimidated by social media.

Source: TodaysMeet

In fact, the day’s free-flowing learning made us realize that regular faculty meetings could be better structured like an EdCamp. They could involve authentic colloquies spawned from the bottom-up. They could welcome differentiated dialogues initiated by teachers themselves, rather than administrative decrees.

Even more, our classrooms could become miniature EdCamps. We could do more to solicit interest from the students themselves, to invite direction based on kids’ curiosities and passions. Our daily lessons could embrace the messy beginnings of finding a path and honing an objective. In the end, we would probably still nurture the same key skill sets. But we would reach our goals by letting the children themselves scribble post-it notes of wonder and glom onto subjects that matter not to us, but to them.

If you were unable to attend, here is the Google Doc of session notes from Saturday. Also, the hashtag #EdCampLI captured all of the lively exchanges and resources. Many thanks to the organizers who staged yesterday's event, and we look forward to EdCampLI 2.0 next year.