October 2009

October 31, 2009

Quote of the day

Change your thoughts and you change your world.

-- Norman Vincent Peale

October 30, 2009

Educational Web Sites Twitter

The internet catalogue for students, teachers, administrators & parents.

Educational Web Sites Twitter

Autistic artist draws 18ft picture of New York skyline from memory

This astonishing 18ft drawing of the world's most famous skyline was created by autistic artist Stephen Wiltshire after he spent just 20 minutes in a helicopter gazing at the panorama.
The unbelievably intricate picture was drawn at Brooklyn's prestigious Pratt Institute from Stephen's memory, with details of every building sketched in to scale.
Landmarks including the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building can be seen towering above smaller buildings after just three days in his spellbinding creation.

Autistic artist draws 18ft picture of New York skyline from memory
| Mail Online

The New Diagnostics - Inside Higher Ed

The Arizona community college, where more than half of the 64,000 students pursue their degrees online, has devised a system of predictive modeling that officials believe can forecast, with 70 percent accuracy, how likely it is that a student will achieve a "C" grade or higher (the threshold for transferable credits) in a given course. The tool -- one of several of its kind -- is intended to help instructors to identify at-risk students early enough that they can intervene.

News: The New Diagnostics - Inside Higher Ed

Glogster - Poster Yourself | Text, Images, Music and Video

Glogster EDU is your original educational resource for innovative and interactive learning. Glogster EDU was conceived to imaginatively, productively, and collaboratively respond to the dynamic educational landscape and exceed the needs of today's educators and learners. We value the participation of educators and strive to assimilate their contributions to Glogster EDU, Glogster EDU is yours! Educators from all over the world are integrating Glogster EDU's resourceful platform to make traditional learning more dynamic, more interactive and more in tune with learners today. Most importantly Glogster EDU is FUN for teachers and learners alike!

Glogster - Poster Yourself | Text, Images, Music and Video

Why Teach? Teacher Motivation and ED 2.0

We think about teaching primarily as school teaching. This can make it hard to understand why teachers would want to contribute voluntarily to ED 2.0 projects. But when we broaden our view of teaching we unlock this mystery.

ED 2.0 Report: Why Teach? Teacher Motivation and ED 2.0

Time Waits for no one.

To realize
The value of a sister/brother
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of a loving relationship:
Ask someone who had it
And doesn't now

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed an final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
Who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one-second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.

You will treasure it even more when

You can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend, lover or family member:

LOSE ONE.

Math's Too Hard for a Parent's Help

Numbers have never been my strong suit, and as it happens I couldn't really help with math and science homework sometime in middle school. Not only was whatever I once knew rusty, but it was also out of date. "They don't teach it like that any more" I was told, and then dismissed.

Math's Too Hard for a Parent's Help - Motherlode Blog - NYTimes.com

Quote of the day

A ship in a harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.

-- John A. Shedd

Rooster

October 29, 2009

Add Your Prayer

This is a cool site that would work well for many different social sharing tasks.

Add Your Prayer by dcannell@gscs.sk.ca

A blogger talking about the website and how it can be used educationally.

Just another brick in the wall? | Why did the Chickenman cross the road?

Singular

October 28, 2009

Quote of the day

To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.

B. Snyder

October 27, 2009

40 Beautiful Free Icon Sets

Wow nice sets of icons

40 Beautiful Free Icon Sets

Internet Access in Canada Reaches All Time High

A new study released by Ipsos Reid shows that more than eight in ten Canadians (82%) have Internet access at home. That's a six per cent increase from Q2, 2008 and a four per cent increase from Q4, 2008.

Internet Access in Canada Reaches All Time High - 10/27/2009

Quote of the day

Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.

~Mark Twain

Reality

October 26, 2009

He Finally Did It

Is a Computer Male or Female?

A SPANISH Teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.

'House' for instance, is feminine: 'la Casa.'
'Pencil,' however, is masculine: 'el lapiz.'

A student asked, 'What gender is 'computer'?'

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether computer'
should be a masculine or a feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that 'computer' should definitely be of the Feminine gender ('la computadora'), because:

1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;

2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;

3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and

4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your pay check on accessories for it!

(THIS GETS BETTER!)

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be Masculine ('el computador'), because:

1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;

2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;

3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and

4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model!

The women won!!

Many teachers 'face false claims'

Nearly 30% of school staff have been the subject of a false allegation of misconduct by a pupil, a survey by a teaching union suggests.

BBC NEWS | UK | Education | Many teachers 'face false claims'

October 25, 2009

You can't be my teacher

Sleep

Quote of the day

"In order to succeed we must first believe we can"

- Michael Korda

October 24, 2009

Spontaneous

Quote of the day

If you simply cannot make the right decision, make a decision and then make it right.

Dale Adams

SCCS Travel Blog

October 23, 2009

Personally

Quote of the day

"If you want to know someone's true personality, just watch them drive."

SCCS Removal of Students from WebCT

The end of teacher sameness and solidarity

[I]n American education, policy making is not guided by what is best for children or the larger public. It is a political process driven by power. And the most powerful groups in that process are special interests, led by the teachers unions, with a stake in keeping the system as it is. . . . Reforms of real consequence are vigorously resisted and watered down. (p. 149)

The end of teacher sameness and solidarity - Dangerously Irrelevant

How to Remake Education

The single biggest problem in American education is that no one agrees on why we educate. Faced with this lack of consensus, policy makers define good education as higher test scores. But higher test scores are not a definition of good education. Students can get higher scores in reading and mathematics yet remain completely ignorant of science, the arts, civics, history, literature and foreign languages.

Why do we educate? We educate because we want citizens who are capable of taking responsibility for their lives and for our democracy. We want citizens who understand how their government works, who are knowledgeable about the history of their nation and other nations. We need citizens who are thoroughly educated in science. We need people who can communicate in other languages. We must ensure that every young person has the chance to engage in the arts.

But because of our narrow-minded utilitarianism, we have forgotten what good education is.

How to Remake Education - NYTimes.com

Getting Students More Learning Time Online

Online courses increase equitable access to quality educational opportunities by bringing flexibility to the course calendar, expanding the course catalog, and offering individualized instruction.

Getting Students More Learning Time Online: Distance Education in Support of Expanded Learning Time in K-12 Schools

October 22, 2009

Edible

Quote of the day

Parent to school board: "You are distracting our teachers. Let them do what they do best. Let them teach."

Children See. Children Do

Telecourses losing out to online options - News

Telecourses were the first distance education programs at TJC. However, what was once considered high-tech is losing ground to online options.

Telecourses losing out to online options - News

October 21, 2009

We Have to Stop Doing This to Teachers

Being an administrator in a cyber school in Saskatchewan, I feel the building pressure in my teachers as well...we are in interesting time. I am not sure I have an answer.

We Have to Stop Doing This to Teachers | Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech

But I Don't Want to Teach My Students How to Use Technology

For some teachers, the technology revolution of the last 30 years was and is an epiphany, but for most faculty it remains an enigma, at best a fad and at worst a threat. A person responding to one of my recent articles in Web 2.0 told me that, "Come on!, I don't want to teach my students how to use the technology but just do pure teaching." He missed the point: Adapting to information technology does not necessarily mean using technology at all, but it does require an understanding of how education has been irreversibly altered.

But I Don't Want to Teach My Students How to Use Technology -- Campus Technology

Quote of the day

Most of the time we don't communicate; we just take turns talking.

SCCS WebCT Mail Setting

Stress is

Series: Cyber School Videos IV

The October edition of the videos that Darren posts at Teaching and Developing Online concerning the Saskatoon Catholic Cyber School.

Series: Cyber School Videos IV « Virtual High School Meanderings

Tweet Wrap talked about my posting...

It is always cool to see your posts listed in other sites around the world...thanks Tweet Wrap.

Scholarly post asks if online model is beginning of long overdue evolution in education.

Technologically Externalized Knowledge and Learning

Let's take a step back and consider how well we are using learning technology in contrast with what is possible given advances over the last decade. Ideologies influence design, then design constrains future options. We don't have to look very far to see examples of this simple rule: classrooms, design of organizational work activities, politics, and the operation of financial markets.

What we create to survive during one era serves as neurosis for another. In education - particularly in technology enhanced education - a similar trailing of ideologies from another era is observed.

Technologically Externalized Knowledge and Learning « Connectivism

Twitter Applications List You'll Ever Need

That's not a list...this is a list....

Twitter Applications List You'll Ever Need

October 20, 2009

SCCS Markin Video

Chemistry Class

H1N1 Paranoia ...Tensions Rise

October 19, 2009

Teens and the internet

In 2002 the Pew Research Institute conducted a study of teenagers and how they are using the internet in education. Below are some excerpts from the 37 page report. It's an interesting read for educators and community members.

Teens and the internet - 180 Free Technology Tip #29

Online, teachers walk a fine line

Five years ago, social networking sites weren't on the list of items that Palm Bay Elementary Principal Lori Migliore talked to her staff about. But they are now.
"What I say is, 'Don't put anything on Facebook or MySpace that you wouldn't want on the front page of FLORIDA TODAY,' " Migliore said. "When you take this job, whether you agree with it or not, teachers are held to a higher standard."

Online, teachers walk a fine line | floridatoday.com | FLORIDA TODAY

The Facebook Generation's Impact on Learning

What is the Facebook generation (a.k.a. Generation F)? This is the new generation of people who live, learn and laugh using social networking sites. Facebook is one of the more well known social networking communities where people are connecting, sharing and exchanging knowledge all around the globe.

Connecting Redefined » Post Topic » The Facebook Generation's Impact on Learning

Education Week: State of Mind

Two out of five of America's 4 million K-12 teachers appear disheartened and disappointed about their jobs, while others express a variety of reasons for contentment with teaching and their current school environments, new research by Public Agenda and Learning Point Associates shows.

Education Week: State of Mind

State targets student-teacher communication

Beginning next month, Louisiana public schools will be required to document all electronic communication that occurs between teachers and students. The new law will even require tracking exchanges initiated by students to teachers via personal devices the schools don't own.
Top News - State targets student-teacher communication

If you can't use technology get out of teaching!

Technology has done a lot but what's really impacting on teachers is how information is changing. A number of years ago I wrote a book called Redefining Literacy. It started out being a technology book but the more I researched the more I realised it wasn't technology I wanted to talk about, it was information. The nature of information has changed and, as a result, so has what it means to be literate.

For instance, an increasing number of teachers are getting students to blog. When they used to write an assignment on paper the teacher was the only person who was going to read it... and the students knew it. So, they write what they think the teacher wants to read. However, when they're writing to a blog they know that their classmates are also going to read it... and respond. It takes the assignment to a whole new level where it becomes less 'I'm proving to you that I understand what was in the chapter' to a conversation within the class where the students are reacting to each other's insights, and are learning more in the process.

NZ Interface Magazine | If you can't use technology get out of teaching!

iRobot shape shifting blog robot.

It gets around by way of a process called "jamming", in which material can transition between semi-liquid and solid states with only a slight change in volume. In ChemBot's case, a flexible silicone skin encapsulates a series of pockets containing a mix of air and loosely packed particles. When air is removed from the compartments, the skin attempts to equalize the pressure differential by constricting the particles, which shift slightly to fill the void left by the evacuated air. In that way, the strange looking little blob inflates and deflates parts of its body, changing size and shape, oozes and pulsates across the floor. Beneath the skin are an incompressible fluid and an actuator that can vary its volume.

SCCS Chat Room 2

Humble

Quote of the day

A goal is a dream with a deadline.

Napoleon Hill

October 18, 2009

The Positive Impact of eLearning

Studies indicate that ICT-enhanced learning can benefit students, teachers, families, societies, and economies.

The Positive Impact of eLearning

SCCS Selective Release

Three Kinds of People

Quote of the day

"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."

-- Aldous Huxley

October 17, 2009

SCCS Chat Room Setup

Miss Right

Quote of the day

"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."

-- Toni Morrison

October 16, 2009

Adding Widgets to Courses

Quote of the day

"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision"

~Helen Keller

Come Closer

October 15, 2009

Five myths about paying good teachers more

Education Secretary Arne Duncan says paying public school teachers based on their performance is his "highest priority," and he plans to dole out hundreds of millions of dollars to states and school systems that embrace the idea. In the District of Columbia, Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has made such reform a cornerstone of her agenda -- and a backdrop to her recent move to lay off 229 teachers in response to budget cuts. But school reformers have been trying unsuccessfully to introduce performance pay in public education for decades. If today's reformers want to break the deadlock, they're going to have to let go of several myths hanging over the debate:

Five myths about paying good teachers more | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Educational Jargon Generator

This will help me with my PHD thesis...love it

Educational Jargon Generator

Quote of the day

Life doesn't stay still for long. Your mentalitude determines if you go forward, stand still or go back.

Why Online Schools are Popular

We've always been taught that necessity is the mother of invention, but, in the case of the Internet and its rapid growth, invention and innovation have contributed greatly to satisfying the needs and demands of online education. The number of online schools and degrees have proliferated to an extent that there are too many of them now, some of which are barely legal and others that don't bother to even put up a front of respectability. But, in spite of diploma mills all the other ills that plague the world of online education, the degrees they offer still have more than a few takers. Online schools enjoy their popularity because:

Why Online Schools are Popular

October 14, 2009

The eyeballing game

This will waste a pile of time but it is very cool.

The eyeballing game

Money

Facebook threat disrupts Charlottetown school

Charlottetown Rural High School operated under heightened security Wednesday, a day after a shooting threat appeared on Facebook.

CBC News - Prince Edward Island - Facebook threat disrupts Charlottetown school

Education and Technology

Electronic Textbook Survey

We asked the students at the Saskatoon Catholic Cyber School to tell us what they thought of electronic textbooks...this was their answer

Comments

i think it would be neat

I think that it would take a while for schools to save money by using digital textbooks. I also think that there is a benifit to having hard-bound textbooks.

Cyber Textbooks are good for storing on computers for study when you don't have access to or cannot take a beefy school text book.

Digital textbooks would be for digital classes...I'd be quite mad if a teacher made us access a digital textbooks instead of just handing real ones out.

For some subjects textbooks are a must, i am not too sure if electronic textbooks would be very handy, you would have to keep flicking back and forth from page to page on your computer. Where as a real textbook you can have open in front of you plus your assignment on the computer. It just makes for sense to have real textbooks.

i think digital textbooks would be beneficial, but i also thinking using hard bound textbooks are also beneficial.

i think that there should be a balance not all electronic not all regular

It would be kind of cool to have an electronic textbook, but in the same sense to I do like paper because than I can take it outside to read.

Electronic textbooks would be a great idea as it would save money. However, I think a few copies of hard bound text books would be needed in case of a power outage. What would the students do when they couldn't work???

I like turning the pages of a real book.

Using eletronic text books would not save money cause i need to use money to run these books with, like batterries or i am not to sure but it will be very costly but also very cool. I have had this idea that as your desk..would have it own flat computer touch screen whre u would do all your work. With these desks, the teachers would be able to look at what your doing and examine it easily.

Textbook online are not always good, it makes it hard to flip back and front from pages to pages. But on the plus side electonic textbooks would save money and trees.

Electronic textbooks would be annoying because you'd always need a computer. Sometimes reading on the computer is not fun... it strains your eyes. And what would we use as textbooks when we were all in school?

The idea of digital text books can be a good idea, but I think it could cause problems if students didn't have access to a computer to use them.

Hard bound Pro - Easy to get information fast without having to go on the computer. Con- out dated information, not good for enviroment Digital Pro- Better for enviro, the informatioon can be updated when needed. Con- not every body has access to a computer when ever they want.

I think the paper textbooks should be kept.

I think that electronic textbooks, while a good idea cannot totally substitute print textbooks because a) one has to consider the means of delivery of the electronic textbook, whether it be online or through some sort of E-book reader. If it is through an e-book reader then a change to electronic textbooks will cost the school more. Also, the school will have to keep track of further equipment inventory consuming further resources for maintenance, replacement, storage, and tracking of said inventory. If, on the other hand, digital online textbooks are used, one has to consider that students may not consistently have access to a network-capable computer. In this case students will print off copies of the pages they need to, thus using the paper that would have been used anyways, in some cases more paper could be used as printed pages can be lost and then reprinted, thus using more paper and, ultimately costing more. Also, with an online system, a content distribution network must be created along with an administration backend and a user frontend, which will also cost money, time and space. So really, I think that electronic textbooks can be a bit of a double-edged sword; on the one hand, having electronic textbooks saves the paper initially, but in the long run can actually use more paper than the textbook. On the other hand, an e-book reader type textbook would cost more initially, but could eventually pay for itself in reducing the amount of textbook damage. Of course, damage to an e-book reader and asscotiated costs can be forwarded to the student responsible for said damage. Also, an advantage of an e-book reader type setup is that one could load multiple textbooks onto one reader, thus saving space and weight in book storage. Also, another factor to be considered is having the students receive an e-book reader in exchange for a deposit at the start of their high school career and maintain it through until the end of their career at which point the e-book reader will be returned and the student will be refunded their deposit.

This is a very interesting concept and im excited to learn more about it!

electric textbooks may make it easier to find certian things with in it

I would like to believe that some sort of physical medium is always required. A virtual system would create a virtual concept among students. When students, given this concept, are faced with real world situations, may find it hard to adapt their electronically learned knowledge to things that have substance. The gap between the pen and the plow is already great, how much greater will it be from the pixel?

not sure if cost of having lots of computers to use would be cheaper but maybe because they have to return text books people don't bring back

Textbooks of any kind helps.

I don't really understand what a "digital text book" is, so that affected my answers.

Text books will alwasy be needed in schools.

I think electronic texts book would be easier to transport.

I think textbooks are very useful and especially helpful for the teachers.

I think that electronic textbooks would be great if they are feesable and easy to use. They should also be VERY durable and well made.

Yes electronis textbooks are a good plan.

I haven't had the opportunity to use electronic text books as i havent yet started my online course

I have a hard time reading things electronically so I end up printing them out anyways.

--all digital would be easier to update, distribute etc--save cost

i think this is a very good idea

I like to use hard cover texts books while using an online one too. It helps give a perspective from two different angles.

I believe that you should have electronic texts available for those taking Cyber classes as we are already paying for the course and then have to buy the texts as well.

hopes that hard bound text boks are quickly replaced by electronic textbooks

I think electronic textbooks would be better for students

I think having a text book whether online or a hard cover would be really helpful. I am currently using my brothers Chem 20 txt and it is really helpful. It gives another perspective on things than just what the teacher is teaching.

there a alright idea but some people just feel more relaxed with a book

Electronic textbooks would be such a great way to Go Green and still keep education standards high!

I think electronic textbooks would be both good and bad. They would save money in the long run, but it would be another thing we would have to learn how to use.

I don't think having a laptop with you going to every class is any better than bringing a text book. Plus there would be more cheating and such if you could go on the internet whenever you felt like it.

we would still need hard-bound textbooks because what if something happened to the computers it would really save us troubles

i think that electronic text books would save money in the long run becuase text books have to be remade or refurbished in order to keep using them. it would reduce costs becuase there are text books for every class and in high school some classes are in two part A & B and text books are needed for each individual class. a lot of people might start with negative thoughts on this topic about vandilism to the electronic books, but if monitored that can be controlled, and each book could be programmed to contain every class taken in that specific school by each specific student. if the students had to do a daily inspection in the last few minutes of class that would reduce vandilism and encourage respectful handling and if each student had to use the same ETB all year then you would know who defaced it.

The use of paper textbooks and electronic is necessary

hard covered text books are good. You can high light main parts for studying, and is a great way of joting notes down

I do think electronic text would save some money, but I don't think all text should be electronic. There are many people would like to work outside school and don't even have a computer. It is also believe books have more value, and having physical contact is some times better!!

Textbooks are useful but not up to date

For question number two, I answered not sure. The reason being is, that it would be unfair to have digital text books if a student did not have access to a computer, or if they did not have the right amount of time to work on the computer.

hardcover textbooks are really heavy. they are no fun to bring home and then back to school...

Textbooks that you can touch and read are useful.

I think text books are good in school but elecrtonic ones would be easier to maintain and not cost so much money.

I think text books are necessary in schools, and are used often.

Textbooks are cool

what is the digital textbook?

I think that this would be an interesting thing to try if even for one class or an entire year and see how it goes from there

By having electronic textbooks, students would be able to access newer information. For example, the textbooks we used in a level 30 science class were over 8 years old. Therefore, we are learning old information what is not updated.

Sluggish Results Seen in National Math Scores

Scores on the most important nationwide math test increased only marginally for eighth graders and not at all for fourth graders, continuing a six-year trend of sluggish results that suggest the nation will not come close to bringing all children to proficiency by 2014, a central goal of the Bush-era federal education law, No Child Left Behind.

Sluggish Results Seen in National Math Scores - NYTimes.com

Tread Lightly

This is an exciting classroom activity...check it out.

Tread Lightly

Quote of the day

Any school that thinks they can teach without music, art and drama is not a school, it's a factory.

DavidWarlick

October 13, 2009

Quote of the day

Good teaching is one-fourth preparation and three-fourths pure theatre.

Gail Godwin

Cows

SCCS Chat Room Setup

October 12, 2009

Setbacks In Online K-12 Education

It's something of an anomaly that while adult online education has taken off like a rocket, its K-12 counterpart is still dragging its feet and trying to find wings to fly. Not much progress has been made when it comes to using technology to teach kids who are still in school, because of a number of reasons. It's not that schools are not capable of getting the technology or implementing it; more often than not, it's the finances and effort that throw a spanner in the works. If we take a closer look at online K-12 education, we see that the setbacks to its success are:

Guest Blogger - Setbacks In Online K-12 Education « Virtual High School Meanderings

The politician

Quote of the day

Education, n.: That which discloses the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.

Ambrose Bierce

October 11, 2009

Time to Quit Assuming 6

Eating at a Computer

Quote of the day

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.

Robert Frost

October 10, 2009

100 Awesome Classroom Videos to Learn New Teaching Techniques

With so many good teachers out there, it's fortunate they can share their knowledge via video on the Internet. From the funny to the poignant, these glimpses into the lives of teachers and their students will keep you entertained while learning a little something as well. Whether you are a new teacher storing up tips and tricks or an experienced teacher who could just use a fresh perspective, you are sure to find something helpful among these videos.

100 Awesome Classroom Videos to Learn New Teaching Techniques | Smart Teaching

Time to Quit assuming 5

The better I get

Quote of the day

Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.

Gilbert K. Chesterton

I am honoured Thank you

Thank you to Kelli and Ryan for the nomination.

To Whom It May Concern,

We are writing this letter and sending this information to nominate Mr. Darren Cannell for the iNACOL Outstanding Individual Contribution to K-12 Online Learning Award.

Darren has achieved many accolades throughout his professional career and personal life. Darren has been a school teacher for 20+ years, teaching grades 5 to 12. His high school teaching has centered around physical education, art and computer education. His efforts in the formation and operation of the Saskatoon Catholic Cyber School have resulted in its becoming the largest cyber school in Saskatchewan. As a result he has been a sought after presenter at numerous local, provincial, national and international conferences on distance education.

We strongly feel that Darren is deserving of this prestigious award as he is a very dedicated to the advancement of students within the Saskatoon Catholic School Division and in particular, our online students at the Cyber School. He is constantly striving to achieve more within this program that is innovative, with a diversity to accommodate students who learn in a variety of different capacities. Mr. Cannell's ability to look "outside the box" is a reminder to us all that our children's educational future is in very capable hands. As this program continues to grow under Darren's leadership, the students of Saskatoon Catholic School's have turned to online learning at a rate few could have anticipated.

Darren started the Cyber School in 1999. After initiating the original plan through its fruition, we are now the largest online learning institution in the province of Saskatchewan, and our numbers have been growing exponentially with every new year.
In simplest terms, the Saskatoon Catholic Cyber School is a distance education and Educational Technology resource program that uses the Internet as its delivery system. It has offered high school credit courses via the Internet since 2000. These courses have been developed by Cyber School staff and meet Saskatchewan Learning curriculum guidelines. The courses have no face-to-face components and all material is delivered via an internet online learning management system.
There are currently 37 courses to choose from and enrollment in the high school courses reaches over 1000 students each school year.
The underlying philosophy at work at SCCS is that distance education is not considered to be in its own realm, separate from the world of classical education. Our staff consistently mentors other educators and takes an active role in sharing both their success and tribulations at conferences, PD workshops and in social networks on-line.
Our online courses and classrooms allows students from remote locations, those with learning disabilities, those who may not feel comfortable sharing in face-to-face situations, those who need to fulfill other commitments during schools hours, and those who may not be able to attend classes because of physical problems, the opportunity to contribute actively in class discussions and complete courses.
SCCS provides hybrid courses to educators in other locations who would like to use the Cyber School courses to expand and enrich their own courses or to provide a course that may not be offered in a particular school.
In 2000 Cyber School also started developing resources for pre-K-Grade 8. These resources are not courses per se, they are similar on-line classrooms. The resources found in the Cyber Planets address curricular objectives in every grade and subject area. Included in the Cyber Planets, are locally developed technology and math courses that teachers can choose to use with their students.
The Cyber Planets now have over 3600 students per year accessing them on a regular basis. Cyber School builds and maintains the Planets but the classroom teacher or parent is still the main instructor. Cyber Planets are free for anyone around the world to use.
Cyber School has further advanced its contributions to the education system by developing and launching On-Line Teacher Learning Communities. These learning communities are a collection of useful resources in all subjects for teachers in classrooms from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. The resources can be used on-line or printed for classroom use.

Cyber School is always looking to provide easily accessible and new ways to communicate online. As a result, SCCS is now hosting blogs for teachers, schools and parishes. The blog allows for a simple way to communicate, via web site and or email, with students, parents and the community.
In January 2005, the Saskatoon Catholic Cyber School started the Association of Online K-12 Schools. The goal of the Association is to provide a location where K-12 online educators, developers and administrators can gather. This virtual community offers environment conducive to communication, resource sharing and team building. Currently the association has members from four different continents around the world.
Not only do educators have the Learning Community environment to collaborate and share material, they now have access to the TADO PD Lounge (replacing the Association of On-line K-12 Schooling). The PD Lounge houses a multitude of both self-directed and guided short courses geared specifically towards integrating technology into the classroom. Communicate and collaborate with other educators regarding Smart Boards, Wikis's and blogs (Just to name a few).

With all of this in mind, it is very apparent that Darren has been instrumental and a driving force in the advancement of on-line learning, not only for our school division, but for the entire province of Saskatchewan while also networking throughout the world. Our practice has become the model by which other school divisions emulate. The vision he had over a decade ago has, and will continue to define what distance education can achieve.

Darren's favorite Quote
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it." (Alan Kay)

Darren's SCCS Profile
http://blog.scs.sk.ca/darrencannell/

Darren's Blog
Teaching and Developing Online (started in 2003) Winner of numerous Ed Blog awards.
http://blog.scs.sk.ca/tado

Darren's Awards
2005 Educator of Distinction Award: Darren Cannell

Darren's CV
http://www.scs.sk.ca/cyber/darren/resume/resume.htm

Darren's Portfolio
http://www.scs.sk.ca/cyber/darren/website/index.htm

Darren's Art Gallery
http://blog.scs.sk.ca/ddcartgallery/

October 9, 2009

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PreZentit - Create, share and show your
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Witty Comics - Make a Comic

A cool cartoon maker..check it.

Witty Comics - Make a Comic

Time to quit assuming 4

The Old

Quote of the day

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

Oscar Wilde

Student survey 2009 Question 17

This is the last one in the set hope you liked them.

Over seven hundred high school students at the Saskatoon Catholic Cyber School shared with us what they thought of the cyber school, I will be sharing the answers to questions one per day...hope you enjoy. The survey tool was the LMS survey tool which is a course offered to all students when they register for an online course. They are asked to do a course survey in each of the courses after their midterm report. Hence the collection of questions...

October 8, 2009

Time to Quit Assuming 3

The Meek

Quote of the day

Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.

Edward Everett

Student survey 2009 Question 16

Time to Quit Assuming 2

Random Numbers

October 7, 2009

Quote of the day

An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you know and what you don't.

Anatole France

Student survey 2009 Question 15

The ideal introduction to Shakespeare and his use of language...

Everything you need to know about Shakespeare.

The Shakespeare Portal - The ideal introduction to Shakespeare and his use of language...

October 6, 2009

Time to Quit Assuming 1

Fix photos direct in your browser

It works and its online...way cool.

Online image editor pixlr free - fix photos direct in your browser

Quote of the day

An educated person is one who has learned that information almost always turns out to be at best incomplete and very often false, misleading, fictitious, mendacious - just dead wrong.

Russell Baker

Insomnia

Time to Quit Assuming Pass the Ball

Pass the ball on this idea, it's time has come.

Time to Quit Assuming

Student survey 2009 Question 14

October 5, 2009

Optimizing Pictures for Web Pages

I wish people did this in our cyber school courses it would make it so much easier to back up courses.

Optimizing Pictures for Web Pages

I OZed myself...sounds dirty but it is not.

Student survey 2009 Question 13

October 4, 2009

Quote of the day

You cannot teach Global Citizenship without being a Global Citizen.

Wrong

Approach it in bits

Student survey 2009 Question 12

October 3, 2009

NewsMap...

I like the way this gives you a quick snap of what is going on in the world.

newsmap

Time to quit assuming.

The most dangerous thing the educated can do is assume. The educational system is comprised of educated people and for years they have assumed to know what students need to accomplish to achieve success. The path to success in education was charted to be the same as the one the educated have taken. A system not only designed by the keeper of the system but studied extensively and evaluated by the same. For hundreds of years the model used produced a percentage of students that ventured lockstep through the system until they graduated from the post-secondary school. These students were deemed successful. The unsuccessful students who fell out of step were trained by the system to take their place on the factory floors (Van Duzer, 2006).
The information age came and a society that valued education changed, yet the education system failed to keep up with the change (Hiltz & Turoff, 2005). It has almost become a cliché for many writers, politicians, and the mainstream media to portray education as an institution which does not recognize the changing world, students and technology. Fulton (1989) states that "classrooms of today resemble their ancestors of 50 and 100 years ago much more closely than do today's hospital operating rooms, business offices, manufacturing plants, or scientific labs" (p.12). Molebash (1999) further clarifies by stating "If you put a doctor of 100 years ago in today's operating room, she would be lost, yet if you placed a teacher of 100 years ago into one of today's classrooms she wouldn't skip a beat" (¶7). The educational system's lack of change has resulted in a dropout rate of 9.4% in 2005. In America, 60 % percent of minorities do not complete grade twelve (Jukes, 2008). Only 28% of grade 12 high school students believe the school work is meaningful. A mere 21% believe their courses are interesting and only 39% believe that school work will have any bearing on their success in later life (Wirt et al., 2002).
During the last three decades there have been many attempts and initiatives designed to change this situation and all but a few have experienced a low adoption rate. While governments, universities, schools, teachers and parents struggle to find the methods, pedagogy and training which will allow them to address these poor statistics they use authentic assessment, achieve excellence in education, leave no child behind, educate the whole child and make sure that they provide an education that makes a difference. Shirley & Hargreaves (2006) confirm:
Every few years in American education a new slogan is coined as the Next Big Thing. Total quality management, shared decision-making, and outcomes-based education all once marched across the educational landscape, grabbing headlines, filling copy--yet they left little improvement in pupil learning in their trail (¶ 1).
All the 'Next Big Thing' programs are expensive initiatives driven by government and education administration. Some have produced short term targeted results but do not recognize that throwing money at it will just result in a more expensive system. It will still not be meeting the needs of the students (Van Duzer, 2006). Jukes (2008) clarifies:
Despite the fact that there are more than 40 years of solid research on how learners learn best, of how the brain functions, of what instructional models are most effective, this research has not been widely accepted or integrated into most classrooms to better help today's learners and their learning and communication preferences. Nor is it reflected in many of the assumptions that are the foundations of public education today (p. 24).
The burning problem is the fact that, although governments recognize the need for change, they have not recognized that educational systems should and must reflect the societal changes that have occurred over the last decade. Levine (2006) posits that "the challenge facing education schools is not to do a better job at what they are already doing, but to do a fundamentally different job" (p.105).
Education reform is a necessity and can only be achieved by wholesale change in the approach to educating a student who is substantially different than the student for whom the traditional education was designed. These students are consumers of education and the information age allows them the opportunity to "create, consume, remix, and share material with each other" (Raine, 2006, ¶ 3). They are also bringing new expectations to the education system. Of all the system changes that have been tried over the last 100 years the only one that has experienced huge uptake is online education, which is a form of distance education. Though distance education has been around for 100 years (Moore, 2003), but with the advent of personal computers and the dawn of the information age has moved distance education into the mainstream and this alternative mode of education is beginning to influence the status quo. Heller (2005) explains that this "matrimony of education and computer - [is] truly a marriage made in heaven, because the computer has become the ultimate bridge of communication, bringing tutors and students together, no matter the time, no matter the place, no matter the distance" (¶1). Watson (2007) states that "38 states have now established state-led online learning programs, policies regulating online learning, or both. Enrolments in online courses have surged in the past year, increasing by as much as 50% in some states" (p.5).
This rapid growth has left researchers scrambling to try to fill the void of empirical research on K-12 e-learning. Much of the current research was aimed at administrators, parents and teachers (DiPietro, Ferdig, Black & Preston, 2008). These education stakeholders have assumed to know the wants and needs of the students, their clients. This assumption has not served them well because the students are beginning to act like consumers (Oliver, Osborne & Brady 2009) and are taking their educational funds elsewhere. E-learning removes the barriers of time and distance making it more accessible which has allowed interested students the ability to search for a system that better fits their needs. The brick and motor school in the past has had complete autonomy over the students, very similar to the only-game-in-town concept. Now with e-learning, students can opt for the alternative and this new game has threatened the traditional autonomy. Students, by choosing, are making a statement which the educational community can embrace as an opportunity to study these clients.
The development and growth of e-learning in the post-secondary education system has been attributed to the institutions' attempt to reach a new market using what was viewed as a cheaper method of education as well as the educators' assumption on how education should be delivered (Abrami, Bernard, Wade, Schmid, & Borokhovski, 2006). E-learning in the K-12 system started simply as a different way of handling the traditional approach to education in an altered fashion for a finite group of clients that were already in the system. So it did not increase the client numbers but rather changed the way education was delivered. It was embraced and students are seeking out e-learning in record numbers which continue to increase (Archambault & Crippen, 2009; Powell & Patrick, 2006). The growth is attributed to the benefits of online education as described by the educated. These benefits were classified by Barbour and Reeves (2009) by reviewing the literature in 5 main areas, including "expanding educational access, providing high quality learning opportunities, improving student outcomes and skills, allowing for educational choice and achieving administrative efficiency" (¶ 5). Barbour and Reeves (2009) further explains the fact "that these benefits are realized through virtual schooling remains in doubt in the minds of some critics, and the research to support these conjectures is limited" (¶ 6). These five benefits are not dissimilar to the ones that were used as motivation to create many of the government's "next big thing" yet those did not have the same uptake as e-learning has displayed. The one stakeholder of the educational system that has not been asked is the students. Is it possible that E-learning is providing something to some students that they could not find in the traditional brick and mortar school? Some of the once captive audience of the only-game-in-town has opted for the new game. Why?

References
Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R., Wade, A., Schmid, R., Borokhovski, E., & Tamim, R. (2006). A review of e-Learning in Canada: A rough sketch of the evidence, gaps and promising directions. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology. 32(3), 1-70.

Archambault, L., & Crippen, K. (2009). K-12 distance educators at work: Who's teaching online across the United States. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 41(4), 363-391.

Barbour, M. K., & Reeves, T. C. (2009). The reality of virtual schools: A review of the literature. Computers and Education, 402-416.

DiPietro, M., Ferdig R. E., Black E. W., & Preston, M. (2008). Best practices in teaching K-12 online: Lessons learned from Michigan Virtual School teachers. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 7(1), 10-35.

Fulton, K. (1989). Technology training for teachers: A federal perspective. Educational Technology, 29(3), 12-19.

Heller, H. (2005). A new Age of Education and Tutoring. Retrieved October 1, 2006, from http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=159901657

Hiltz, S. R., & Turoff, M. (Oct 2005). Education goes digital: The evolution of online learning and the revolution in higher education. Communications of the ACM, 48, 10. p.59(6). Retrieved September 30, 2009, from Academic OneFile via Gale:
http://find.galegroup.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/gtx/start.do?prodId=AONE

Jukes, I. (2009). Understanding Digital Kids. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press.

Levine, S., (2006). Making Distance Education Work. Okemos: Lulu Press.

Lowes, S. (2008). Online teaching and classroom change: The trans-classroom teacher in the age of the internet. Innovate: Journal of Online Education, 4(3), 1-5.

Molebash, P. (1999). Technology and Education: Current and Future Trends. Retrieved June 19, 2008, from IT Journal : http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/journals/itjournal/1999/molebash.html

Moore, Michael Grahame (2003). Editorial: The handbook of distance education. American Journal of Distance Education, 17(2), 73-75. Retrieved October 01, 2009, from http://www.informaworld.com/10.1207/S15389286AJDE1702_1

Oliver, K., Osborne, J., & Brady, K. (2009). What are secondary students' expectations for teachers in virtual school environments? Distance Education. 30(1), 23-45.

Powell, A., & Patrick, S. (2006, November). An International Perspective of K-12 Online Learning: A Summary of the 2006 NACOL International E-Learning Survey. Retrieved September 29, 2009, from International Association for K-12 Online Learning: http://www.inacol.org/research/docs/InternationalSurveyResultsSummaries.pdf

Prensky, M. (2006). Learning in the digital age - Listen to the natives - The digital natives -- The kids -- Are restless, and the digital immigrants -- The adults -- Must reconsider how to reach them. Educational Leadership: Journal of the Department of Supervision and Curriculum Development, N.E.A. 63(4), 8.

Raine, L. (2006, May 07). How the Internet is Changing Consumer Behavior and Expectations. Retrieved November 6, 2007, from Pew Internet & American Life Project: http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Presentations/2006/2006%20-%205.9.06%20SOCAP.pdf.pdf

Shirley, D., & Hargreaves, A. (2006, October 4). Oregon Department of Education. Retrieved November 23, 2007, from Data-Driven to Distraction, Why American Educators Need a Reform Alternative - and Where They Might Look to Find It.: http://www.ode.state.or.us/opportunities/grants/saelp/data-driven-to-distraction,-as-published-in-ed.-week-.doc

Van Duzer, E. (2006, March 10). Overcoming the limitations of the factory system of education. Retrieved September 29, 2009, from Education Resources Information Center: http://eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/1b/c2/1f.pdf

Watson, F. J. (2007, April). A National Primer on K-12 Online Learning. Retrieved August 15, 2009, from North American Council for Online Learning: http://www.kaplanonlineschools.com/pdf/NACOL%20A%20National%20Primer%20on%20K-12%20Online%20Learning.pdf

Wirt, J., Choy, S. P., Bae, Y., Sable, J., Gruner, A., Stennett, J., et al. (2002). The condition of education 2002. NCES 2002-025. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics.

Set the Bar High

Mental Health

Quote of the day

Intelligent people use their brain. Successful people use Intelligent people's brain.