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Monday, December 6, 2010

TIES 2010 Keynote Reflections

The TIES Conference has begun with a bang!  I am already learning a lot through my TweetDeck for Twitter as well as from the keynote with Sir Ken Robinson.  He was very entertaining and reemphasized the reason why education needs to change.  He seems to focus much less on the technology and much more on personalized learning.  I like that.

Technology tools come and go, but personalized learning is a frame of teaching that can be used with and without many technologies.  Sometimes, it seems that people get so caught up in the new gadgets and don't focus on changing the teaching.  I don't just want to teach the same content in new ways.  I am much more interested in making the paradigm shift to personalized learning than I am in picking out the next cool gadget.  The gadgets will come..... naturally.

I am intrigued to find some schools that focus on personalized learning as described by Sir Ken Robinson.   Mike O Connor, Assistant Principal in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, suggested checking out the School of One in New York.  It definitely looks like one to checkout.  I will continue to look for other examples...perhaps in Europe or Australia.

I also plan to read Sir Ken Robinson's book, The Element.  I am anticipating some more insights and ideas for implementing in the classroom.

Looking forward to learning more today!  Now waiting for Ryan Cox, Technology/Curriculum Integrationist, from St. Cloud Area Schools to present on iPod/iPad Educational Strategies.