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These are great strategies. I love how they suggest for teachers to involve kinesthetic movement, hands on activities and providing experiences as a way to make teaching the content meaningful and easier to recall. By creating student-centered learning activities, the teacher will reach a greater population of the students through the use of incorporating several learning styles. Learning modalities need to be considered for the lesson to be effective.

In my experience tip #2 has been my greatest challenge in my classroom. Implementing an activating stratetgy to activate student thinking is very crucial to capture their attention and curiousity which will then trigger learning. The challenging part is making the time and carefully planning each activity and following lesson timelines at the same time.

Mari I completely understand. Time gets away from even the best teachers. I am a coach and this is the issue I have most difficulty with on the field (that and yelling). I always carry my watch with me and set timers. Some teachers use simple kitchen timers to keep both the teacher and the students on task. It helps both know there is a limited amount of time to complete tasks. It keeps the class moving and students engaged.

I really enjoyed the article Vincent, I'd agree with limiting lecture because student's haven't developed a cognition level of grasping information in one sitting. So breakout sessions work best along with collaborative group work discussions. The way I've learned to keep a class engaged is use a timer system online and students are aware of how much time is left. From experience I noticed that time flys by fast.

Vicente, thanks for sharing! I agree that those are ten of the basic steps we as educators can take in helping or students become successful. I believe that sometimes we as teachers are pressured in keeping up with our timeline, that we're teaching more than one lesson, making it harder for students to learn and retain what was taught. If there wasn't so much pressure in standardized testing, perhaps we would be able to better reach all our students and not feel inclined to teach the "bubble" kids. Graphic organizers are a must in my classroom. Not only does it better illustrate for all students, but it also assists those students who need the visual and have modificiations. All the other key points listed make me believe that this is geared towards PBL. I think it's great! Students will still be required to use higher order thinking while still conducting a student-centered activity. Great job Vincent. I'll be sharing these tips with my fellow co-workers.

This was a very interesting article about how to get underperforming students to improve. The one tip that would be a challenge for me would be the movement on a daily basis. I only teach math to my fourth grade students and I try to get my students to use manipulatives as often as possible. When they use the manipulatives I do tend to become stressed due to the movement of the students. I know it is good for them to move around and I will try to implement this tip more often in my classroom.

lI like this article because it gave each step and then the author explain it futher. Making each of the step a "Non-Negotiables" is sometimes difficult. But once you practice doing them in each lesson I'm sure you can change with time making each day better and each lesson engaging.

Vincent, great article I really appreciate all of the valuable tips for engaging students in the learning process, a way as to actively involve each student. I do incorporate a few of these tips with my students, and I agree that it will keep the students in control of their learning. Nonetheless, using these tips will make the students aware of the content that is expected to be learned on each subject area.

I really appreciate all of the valuable tips for engaging students in the learning process, and I am aware of how each can be used. However, my huge frustration is in the fact that in a self contained classroom it is so difficult to plan for each class subject in such a way as to actively involve each student. I try my best, but it really is a challenge. I do incorporate a few of these tips with my students, but I guess more time would make all the difference.

I think the particular strategy that would take me longer to achieve would be limited lecture. Finding a different activity to do with them and keep them focused will be very challenging after a while.

Great article, very informative and awesome strategies to implement in my classroom. The ten interactive learning non-negotiable strategies are great when planning the lessons. I do see some resemblance to the 5-E strategies I use in my classroom, but to use all ten strategies on a daily basis might be a challenge to keep all the students engaged.

Lower grades are always the last ones to get new technology if they do get any at all. Why do districts or administrators think that the upper grades are priority? Is it because they are the testing grade levels? Don't you think that if we were to teach children how to use technology since they were in pre-kinder, then they could do so much more in depth projects when they were in the upper grades instead of learning how to use it in the upper grades. What is your take on this topic?

Cora, the bottom line is that the upper levels get tested, and the results dictate our very jobs. If there is anything I have understood is that "we" are all important components of a school, but when it comes to testing and results, step aside because the upper grades are priority. It is what it is, but as a teacher, I know that every grade level lays the foundation....and a strong foundation is important.

Cora, I think the lower grades should have access to technology, just as the upper grades. I recently read an article that concluded that children as young as two can utilize an iPad as an educational tool, much like they use blocks and play dough. Touch screen technology has eliminated the need for children to "have" to learn to manipulate a traditional keyboard and mouse. In addition, young children are "sponges" that can absorb and achieve much more than we give them credit for. I see how the focus tends to be on the upper elementary, and primarily because of testing, but I have learned that as educators, we have to learn to be more proactive as opposed to reactive.

Heather, I agree with you, and I include our early (PK and K) childhood in all iPad activities, and they all get to handle one by themselves with help if needed. They can at least get the manipulation and navigation under their belt, by the end of the year, they are savvy. Children cultivate 85 percent of their intellect, personality and skills by age five. This is what crosses my mind when I meet a child who has never been read to or even talked to. They have so much to learn. See the article below. http://www.wccf.org/pdf/brain_dev_and_early_learning.pdf

I like the point that Roberta Schomburg makes about how technology integration is everywhere today. It's not just confined to the computer labs anymore. The students should have access to technology in the classroom on a daily basis. I wish I could say that this is a reality in our campus but it is more of a rarity.

Heather, I totally agree with you that young children are like sponges because I get to see it everyday this year in my pre-kinder classroom. Unfortunately in my classroom we only have one teacher iPad, but I let my little ones use it every chance I get. When I first got the iPad, I was surprised that they knew more about it than I did. I teach them how to use something on it, and they pick it up write away. I am always looking out for my little ones and asking for more technology whenever I can. When I moved into pre-kinder this year I asked for a document camera and projector. Last years teacher did not have one, but I was going to make sure my kids had access to the use of those tools. My children enjoying using them. I have one little boy who says, "Mrs. Mendez I want the scream." He means to say he wants me to project something onto the screen like a game, movie, book etc. They enjoy using technology. It makes things more engaging and fun to learn.

Ana, that is so awesome that you allow PK and K to use ipads. In our school only 5th graders got one and one for every teacher. You are right if you teach them the basics when they are young, they will have that under their belt and can progress from there in another grade level. Thank you for sharing the article. It is a good reminder of how critical their first 5 years are for learning. This is why I don't understand why they make PK only available for low income people in so many places. How does this affect our middle income and high income children when in comes to them not receiving a whole one year foundation on the basics of learning. I would never have believed that Pk students are capable of so much learning if I had not seen it and experienced it for myself. They are amazing learners.

Mr. Rogers; I loved his show, although it was right on for that era, this newer generation requires a different approach which is the use of today's technology. They seem to on board and very knowledgeable with iPads, apps, and games out there. Although I have very little experience with Pre-K and Kinder, I am aware that they are an even better target to incorporate technology with. I think as teachers, we might want to set our standards a little higher with our students, especially the little ones and be ready to be surprised on what they know and can do.

I can understand the concern over age, but we witness the use of technology from our Pre-K and Kinder on a daily basis. I firmly believe, that technology enhances children's cognitive and social abilities, when used appropriately. Especially when we set the goals and introduce digitial citizenship early on.

From a technology standpoint, there are more apps available for students in the lower grades than for the higher grades. From a personal stand point, even my three year old can use the ipad and iphone for seeing videos and playing games. If I were an administrator, I would start deployment of an Ipad/Ipod program in the lower grades.

Juan I wish more administrators would think like you. I think that technology integration in the lower valley is still in its early stages, so in time I think lower grades will get more technology and more programs will be available to to cater to lower grades. I know the apps are there, but we the the hardware. My document camera and projector were borrowed because they needed it to tutor the upper grades for STAAR. I have had to manage without it. I have two desktops and my laptop and my ipad in my classroom as far as hardware goes.

Hi Marivel: I really like the website, I especially like the "Daily Dose of the Web" link that offers many learning sites to help engage the student in learning while playing games, working puzzles that help exercise the brain which we all know is a very important muscle to workout!.... I will for sure place this link in our campus website for our students to use. Thank you so much....Blanca

Maria the article is very interesting. I think it can benefit our district because our district is very short on funds.We get directives of turning of the light or computers when we are not using it so the district doesn't pay too much money. In all programs, our budget have drastically gotten cut in funds so maybe if we have a 4 day instead of 5 day we can save money. Also teachers would love this because it would give them a break so they won't get burned out with all the changes in our district. Imagine it can be a three day weekend :)

This is very interesting. As a teacher, I would like to move to this 4 day week schedule to enjoy a three day weekend every weekend; however, as a parent, if I were not employed by a school district and worked at a regular 5 business day week, then I would be upset at the inconvenience it causes. I would have to pay extra money for child care services as stated in this article. So although this 4-day school week has its pros its cons also have to be weighed out by those that would be affected. I guess a positive would be that it would create jobs in child care for the fifth day. As an educator, by day 5, I am out of gas. So I can see how working digently throughout the 4-day school week proves to be similar in test scores when compared to those of the 5-day school week.

Maria D. Martinez, this article poses an interesting thought about maybe going to this measure if budget cuts continue, but I don't think were headed that way. The 4-day school week seemed to have a positive effect with this Colorado school district because their state testing scores seemed to increased according to this article. On the downside, the district only saved $150,000 which isn't very much considering the amount of time and effect one day can have on education.  I think that the 4-day school week would be an interesting challenge that everyone will adjust to easily if there's a need to implement it.

I agree with the districts that implemented the 4-day school week in order to save on the operational costs. I believe that having a short week will motivate both students and teachers to work harder and more focused on the tasks needed to be completed knowing they will have a three day weekend to get ready for the next round of intensive work days. Difficult times call for difficult measures and thinking outside of traditional methods will allow us to meet the ever changing demands of a society struggling with an inconsistent and unpromising economy.

I did read the article and this is true that the school district did save a huge amount of income for having four day school weeks. However if you decide to have a four day school week somewhere along the line school districts still have to meet about 187 days of school, so we would be taking a risk of shorter summer vacation or shorter vacations. But hey looking at the data I am for it, but just shorter vacations.

There's been rumors that school districts here in the RGV would do this if the budget crisis got worse, but I have yet to see it happen. There are many other ways that the school districts can reduce costs, however if they did go into the 4-day school weeks and extended the school days, then I guess there would be no difference. Like the article states, it would mainly affect the parents because of child-care expenses, but maybe this would make parents value their childrens' education more, because unfortunately there are many parents that see school as free daycare and as long as they can leave their kids there 5 days a week while they are at work they don't care about anything else. Whatever it is that school districts decide to do to reduce costs will work only if they have a good plan in place along with a good backup plan.

I agree with Victoria. Viewing this article as a parent/teacher would have two different outcomes. We (the U.S.) are already behind in Education. We seem to be cutting funding in the area we are the most weak in; education. If we struggle with students learning the material in a 5 day school week and retaining the information over a two day weekend, how are we suppose to have them grasp and retain in 4 days? I don't believe having a 4 day work week will motivate teachers and students. I believe it'll make it worse. I vote NO.

Once in a while you will hear in the news how the students from the United States compare to those in other countries. The Center for Public Education wrote an article about how the amount of time of school affects our students. They compared top performing countries to the United States and they were unable to find a correlation between less school time and lower test scores. The article also states that some high performing countries have their students spend less time in the classroom than the United States. You can find this article at the following link: http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Organizing-a-school/Time-in-school-How-does-the-US-compare I know at my school district, teaching positions have not been filled because of the budget. Although the savings for a four-day week may be small it is still a savings. The parents that work will be having to look for daycare. Some of these parents are barely making it and this additional cost could be too much for their budget. There are many pros and cons from the four-day school week for the schools and parents. If the school has the funds then I would favor the school week to remain at five days.

Maria, an article worth looking into especially with all the cuts in all departments at our district. Within the district we have been trying to conserve energy but that will only go so far. The state has really reduced the budget for our district which makes it tough therefore, they should consider the 4 day work week. Students would love this as well as teachers. On the other hand, parents would probably say NO.

WOW!!! Kids would be estatic, but that would mean parents would have to look for babysitters. Since parents have to work because of the economy, it would be very difficult. But for those that are stay home parents it's a plus. Do you think it would really help the districts? How do parents feel about it? Here is another article about it. http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/kids-try-to-fill-extra-day-off-with-4day-schook-we/

I think it is awesome that districts can think outside the box and find alternative ways to save money for the district and try so hard to keep their personnel without sacrificing the curriculum. I have been reading up on school districts that are saving money by eliminating bus routes. I think that is another great idea, not only to save money but it helps students, parents, grandparents get their daily exercise. Here is on of the articles that talks about it: http://www.activatenoblecounty.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75:walking-school-bus-can-save-money-lengthen-lives&catid=3:latest&Itemid=16

Well, I think the idea of having a four-day week has its benefits. The district would help save money by eliminating hours of energy used in the classroom. That in itself could save thousands of dollars by the district. The money saved could be utilized in other areas. Here is a link to some creative ways other districts are utilizing to save money. http://www.mamapedia.com/article/creative-ways-to-cut-expenses-in-a-school-district

Alberto, this is a great PDF on Differentiated Instruction. I like how it's organized and especially the technology resources provided in this article. I also liked the Reflection questions towards the end of this guide. This was an excellent PDF resource to save and share with others. Thank you for sharing Alberto.

Differentiated Instruction is best to meet the students' needs and in order to reach the students this PDF points out to Use Choice to Engage and Motivate. By providing an array of tools that captivate students' interest the learner will engaged and learn better.

HI Alberto: Thank you for the link. I like that it offers effective technology tools in all content areas to help students demonstrate their understanding and mastery of the material they are studying. I will post this link on school website under "resources" for my campus teacher's to veiw. Thanks again!

Everyone thank you so much for the comments. I really appreciate them and I'm glad I was able to help out.

I was hoping this was something that I wouldn't have to pay out-of-pocket. I did see how you mentioned there being an app for the ipad. I'm goign to look into that once I log-off. I have "checked out" the ipad for a few weeks and apparently, the other two on campus have yet to be checked out. I believe teachers are having difficulty in how to use them in class. I on the otherhand have been trying new apps, programs, and reasons to keep the ipad in my classroom. LOL

Lucero, this "Interwrite PAD" seems like an awesome idea to have. The ability to teach interactive lessons from different places in the classroom would be great! The best part is that it comes with the software ($249) value. The battery life on this technology is also incredible. Up to 40 hours of continuous use without recharging it. That's a whole week! Having and using this "Interwrite PAD" would be awesome. Thanks for sharing!

Lucero, I wish all campuses had the luxury of devices like the Interwrite PAD. Interactive lessons would work out best if students had ease of access instead of being restricted to a certain area of the classroom. This device seems to be able to provide engaging activities for the students and I would jump at the possibility of having the opportunity to incorporate the Interwirte IPAD into my lessons. Hopefully our school districts will continue growth in technology and purchase these devices for educations everywhere.

Lucero, my school district has purchased an Interwrite Pad for all of the elementary teachers at my district. I have been able to use it for the past three years and find that it keeps my students engaged in the lessons that involve the Interwrite Pad.

Wow! this is something my students can really gain from especially in my reading class. We are in the process of purchasing IPADS for our students and we are all looking forwards to it. Thanks for sharing.

This is an excellent equipment for all teachers to use in their classrooms because you can actively monitoring your students while you teach your skill. Also another benefit for gthis interwrite pad is that a students can also put his or her response to the question being ask by the teacher. Great information. Thanks for sharing.

Will you be willing to blow up the gradebook and try this innovative way of grading student's performance in your class?

I am willing to blow up the grade book. This will require to lay a foundation of work that students will find interesting and that covers the requirements for the course. A lot of preparation needs to be done by the teacher ahead of time. It will be up the students to select their work and what final grade they want.

Sounds like PBL again. If the methodologies of teaching must change to teach and prepare students for our ever changing world, perhaps that is another thing that needs to change. In PBL we are using a standard based rubric, and we use a point system1-4. Teachers were quick to ask how they can convert these numbers to grades, but do we really need to? On the other hand, Juan is right, we need to be very well prepared, and have daily progress checks and be sure that a student masters the skills necessary. Either way the accountability of the teacher/guide is immense. I prefer PBL with all the 21st century skills to prepare them for real life.

Sometimes, I can see these effects in my own classroom. As STAAR approaches, we tend to increases the number of mini-marks (practice tests) that students take. Struggling students usually have the attitude of, "I failed last week, and I will probably fail again", whereas, high achieving students think, "AGAIN...I am so bored!". By focusing on the learning, I think children will be more enthusiastic and motivated to learn. In addition, I have seen how grades promote competition between students, which is not always beneficial. I appreciate how Ana referenced PBLs. PBLs are an excellent way to refocus our attention on the heart of the manner, which is student achievement!

I've been saying this for a long time now, and I all I've gotten thus far are weird looks. How do you like me now! I'm going to use this as a reference to support what I've been saying all along. And yes, it does look like a PBL model in the sense that we'd measure student achievement more individually. The problem is that we don't have buy in from from administration and colleagues, YET, which makes it difficult to get student buy in when not everyone is aboard. I like it very much, and yes, I would be willing to blow up my grade book.

I would love to do this BUT if the students are being judged on scores to get into college then I will have to give them scores. I teach juniors and seniors and they are all worried about their grades so they can get into college. Until the system changes I am goingot have to give grades. What is funny is my higher level students want grades. They are always asking about their grades and how they can bring up their grades. They associate school with grades and that is what is important to them. We as educators need to be associating learning with school not just grades. I think this is a great idea but I can not get rid of the gradebook yet. Here is to wishful thinking.

I'm with some of the others who commented - I would love this but..... I completely agree grades lead to a reduction in everything from interest (student and teacher) to quality of learning and teaching. It seems all the research in the world doesn't change the way students and teachers are assessed. Remember portfolio assessments? Portfolios assessed the learner as a whole and looked at growth over the year. Much like PBLs, as other mentioned, it measures student achievement individually. Like Albert said, there isn't buy in yet. We are a grade driven system. Students, parents. administrators, etc. associate success or failure with grades. I would love to blow up my grade book and focus on student growth!

I would love to blow up the grade book. Every week I am picking up 15 grades per week because I am self-contained and teach all subjects. Sometimes it is so overwhelming and time consuming. Although, it does measure whether or not the students are mastering the objectives. With grades we are constantly re-teaching objectives that students did not get in conference tutorials and keep on teaching new objectives. It feels like the teachers, students, administrators are so worried and stressed over grades, numbers, benchmark scores, and percentages for data. Especially with STAAR, we are so consumed over numbers!

Due to our lack of funds or low funds; it seems like a good concept. However, many things would have to be worked out before something like this could be implemented. Like taking into consideration that working with different devices will be a challenge because some may not be compatible with certain software. If implemented appropriately BYOD could work.

With the appropriate Internet bandwidth, policies, web 2.0 tools and software, it can be done. But like Cora mentioned it is going to be a challenge to address all of the issues associated with so many plataforms being available to students. To get started, a definite must is bandwidth. Then moving forward in setting up a wireless access point that is locked.

My school has had a BYOD policy for the last year and a half. Well, actually they have had the students bring their own device but we really do not have a policy to go with it...yet. Many of our students bring their laptops and tablets to school but our network is HORRIBLE. The teachers can barely access the internet let alone the students. Our district says we will be getting a new network this summer (we will see), and then hopefully we can use more content on the internet. I love using what others have come up with and posted on the internet I just want to be able to get to it easily.

I agree with what you all are saying. In my school district they implemented the BYOD for our high school and 9th grade campus. The teachers received no type of training and were basically told when school started that we would be implementing it. We are having issues with internet access and supposedly our network is up to par. The teachers on our campus have mixed feelings because they feel alot of the students are just using their phone for texting or to get on social websites. Since students with phones can get on the internet without accessing the school's internet. The most importantly alot of teachers are having issues on how to use all these different devices. Since there are so many devices it is almost impossible to know how to use them all.

I think BOYD can be a good thing. It's not quite a good thing just yet. The district I am in created new guidelines for BYOD policies mid year last year. The reason I say it can be good thing is it's not really being implemented like I think the district thought it would. Even though we are well into the first year of the policy, students don't take advantage of it like they could. I do have a few students who bring a device almost daily to read from, but my own daughter, for instance, doesn't want to take hers out of fear of losing it. I think other share her fear; however, the fear the district had of students abusing the new BYOD policy never matierialized. In fact, it's as if less students bring devices now that they are allowed to than when it was against the rules. Figures. :)

I can definitely see BYOD as a possibility in the middle and high school setting, but as an elementary teacher, there would be more barriers than just network speeds and compatibility issues. Most elementary students wouldn't really have access to laptops, smartphones, or tablet computers. While they might be able to use these things at home, I doubt most parents would let their 9 year old bring the family $500 iPad to class everyday. Additionally, as others have said before, there would have to be a really solid policy put in place for the use of these devices to avoid the whole plan backfiring on educators. The internet can be a dangerous and scary place for those who don't know what they're doing as well as the obvious scenario of students just browsing facebook or something similar instead of completing an assignment.

Like many of you have pointed out, I too believe that there are lots of kinks that must be worked off before BYOD can be truly successful, but I also believe that the open-minded, willingness of the districts to integrate technology is a step in the right direction. Our district will be implementing BYOD and I am excited to see how it unfolds. I realize that teacher monitoring is crucial and planning will be key, but I think it will benefits the children in the long run,

I did not even know what BOYD was till I saw this video. It sounds pretty interesting. I believe that any teacher who is interested in technology will "buy" in to it. My only concern is what happens to those students who don't own any tech devices they can bring to school. At the school where I am at the students are from very low income families but then again somehow, someway they find money to own these things. Yet, there are parents who refuse to buy the expensive devises. What happens to those students?

I think that BYOD is a good thing, because the student is familiar with his/her technology device. Sometimes when I have to use the school laptops, they have different features that I need to ask questions. If I had brought my own laptop, I would have completed more work and been more comfortable using my own technology. I do agree with Juan, we do need appropriate Internet bandwidth, policies, web 2.0 tools, hardware/software in order to incorporate BYOD in your school.

I think BYOD is a great thing, however, it's not that easy to get all parents on board, and I think it's even more difficult to get other teachers on board. Even one technology device is difficult for teachers who are not technologically inclined to prodide assistance in, and having many different devices can be overwhelming for those teachers. The concept is right on, however, there are some issues that need to be addressed first like teacher training and getting parent "buy in."

BYOD has been implemented at our campus with the upper grades. The students enjoyed bringing their own device and were eager to share their favorite applications. The teachers were surprised to see how many students owned their own devices.

BYOD is great idea in implementing technology in the curriculum..I think that will motivate students to learn more..at my district they'll be implementing BYOD this coming year and I'm very excited about it. I know the students will be taught to use their own device but the right way. They will be more involved with classroom discussions and participate more, since it'll be done with their own device.

Yes! HCISD is setting the expections and following through with supporting and implementing Cadre 1 with 21 Century equipment. They are providing the resources and setting guidelines for a successful program.

This is a great help to other districts to see how Harlingen is using technology. Hopefully it can inspire others by your success. Do you think you could add links to the apps you are using into the description of the video?

Brian, in my class the students were using a Camtasia edited youtube video from School House Rock linked on Edmodo with a quiz, but aside from that, I'm not sure what the other teachers were using. I know another group of students were using Edmodo as well, but the math app where they were working on triangles of some sort, I really don't know. I'll ask the district's instructional technologist, she would probably know and I'll get back to you.

The goal of the 21st Century classroom should be to seamless integrate technology in the classroom to enhance and promote learning. You are certainly in the right path. Support ant training would be the next items to get in line to keep the technology working properly, and continue enhancing you lessons.

I wish my district would do something like this. We are on an IPAD for every student push right now but we are not producing lessons to go with the IPADs. I really like what you guys are doing in HCISD. Good Job!

Albert, Wow!!! That was an awesome video showcasing how technology can be used in the classroom. In regards, to your questions! I truly believe that Harlingen has taken the right path to prepare students for the real world.

Albert that is fantastic! I am sure that most teachers and students are very excited. In regards to your question, I would have to say yes and no. The creation of digital classrooms is definatley a step in the right directions, but it goes deeper. Teachers need to receive the proper training and then there needs to be some accountability (PDAS, etc.) to ensure that technology is being used to enhance instruction. I was recently in a meeting, where a veteran teacher continually pointed out the negatives in regards to technology: students are off task, distracted, not listening, not producing, etc. With this attitude, I believe that no matter how "digital" his classroom is, he will probably never take full advantage. I guess what I am trying to say is, the equipment is a huge step, but teacher "buy-in" can make or break the long-term success of the initiative.

Absolutely, Heather. There are so many teachers that are resistant to technology, just like there are many who aren't but are in need of the know how. That's why it's very important for us to model, support, and encourage those who can't to do, and those who don't to want.

Albert, I totaly agree. We have a big job ahead of us, but I am EXCITED to be part of it! Together we can all make a difference.

This is really great, HCISD is on their way to incorporating technology in the classroom. The students were really engaged and excited about learning using their IPADS. At my daughter's school they use the Edmoto to communicate with the teacher and parents and she is only in 3rd grade. The teachers are also creating tutorial videos on objectives using You Tube and the students can go into the district website to view them. I think schools are taking a leap into the technology and having the students use it more for their learning.

I really like the way HCISD is implementing technology tools and the "Layers of Learning" training, where administrators, principals, then librarians, and then teachers who were selected as the Digital Classrooms, are being trained, and will continue the layering until everyone is trained. Having administration understand the plan well is important. There is less of a chance that someone will have a gap of learning, and not implement the Technology initiative well. HCISD has thought this out well. In addition an elementary, middle school, and high school PBL Executive team was selected and trained through the summer. Now anyone who is a digital classroom teacher will go through that training. The tools, including mounted projectors with audio microphones, are not just placed in a classroom without the proper training. It is very exciting.

I agree with Ana regarding training and adminstrative support. I believe this IS the answer for the 21 century classroom.This is the direction we need to be moving or we and our students will be left behind, but with so many teachers apprehensive about using technology in their lessons, success of the digital classroom will require and abundance of on going training and support. Reading the description of Isable's daughter's classroom is wonderful!

Wow!!! Yes definitely, digital classrooms are the answer to the 21st century. We live in a digital world, kids are learning in a more interactive way. It's awesome to see when educators and administrators are open minded and are not afraid of using technology for the 21st century. It is true, allowing the students to use their own technology it teaches them to be responsible, to have a digital citizenship. Ofcourse all teachers have to be trained in order to implement these tools, a school doesn't transform into a digital school from one day to the other, it takes time and it's awesome to see Harlingen ISD is doing that. Adding more digital classrooms every year. Thanks for sharing video with us Albert!

I agree with Dara that teachers must be trained properly on the use the technology and how to implement Web 2.0 tools. Sometimes the trainings provided are to vague and are not enough to get the teachers comfortable in using the technology or software. Teachers need to be provided with the proper training in order to be able to teach the students how to use the technology.

I agree with technology in the classroom, I studied engineering, and it really makes a difference when you have hands on activities, and when you do research, or when you are working with a software that is relevant to what you are learning. The only question that I have is, why do they only offer these types of technologies to academies ? or to a few students at schools, why not having offer this learning in all classrooms at the school. I also believe that technology or this type of classrooms by themselves are nothing, there has to be a well trained teacher that is willing to work this way, instead of the traditional way teaching.

Great stuff Albert! Seems like HCISD is doing great things with technology in the classroom. I was wondering how much technology does the district provide and how much do the students bring into the class? How do you all monitor what the students can see when they bring their own device?

Albert sounds like Harlingen is doing some great things with technology. I would have to say that technology is a big part of the 21st century. If teachers and students are trained and educated properly, technology will motivate, inspire, and create critical thinkers.

Cesar you have some great questions that I would like to know the answers to myself.

Edna, in regards to your question. HCISD began a program called Cadre 1 where they would convert 20 classrooms throughout the district to digital classroom by giving those classroom teachers a cart with 11 IPads and headphones, 1 MacBook, an Apple TV, $50 worth of apps, and all the support necessary from a team of collaborating teachers, administrators, and even an instructional technologist. A few months in, they upgraded us to 22 ipads for those digital classrooms. Last Friday was the deadline for teachers to submit their applications for Cadre 2 next year where HCISD will be adding 64 more digital classrooms, and if I'm not mistaking, there will be 120 classrooms added in the 2014-2015 school year. This is where we are headed, and the success of the digital classrooms depends on consistently incorporating technology in our everyday routine. It's a new step, but it has made a world of difference in our classrooms with our students. Besides, it goes hand-in-hand with what we've been learning the last year and a half in the program.

In addition to all that HCISD is doing, all the Library Media Specialists were sent to Project Based Learning as well as technology training which we have as part of our annual training. This year we attended TCEA and brought back many new apps and ideas to implement in our classrooms. We are part of the layers of learning to help support our campus teachers. The Cadre I and II digital classrooms are well supported on their campus and by the district Technology department and technicians on campus, instructional technologist, Library Director and Library Media Specialists. I know a 5th grade teacher who teaches Math and Science at Stuart Elementary who has implemented the B.Y.O.D. initiative in her classroom. She used the district form ( found on our website) to send to her parents, and students are bringing in tablets, smart phones, and any other device that accesses the internet. The devices supplement the lesson which is standard based or driven, and the teacher facilitates the learning, and monitors their use. Many times students decide when they need the devices during the lesson, or how they will use them to share with the classroom. This teacher is now ready to apply for the digital classroom, and understands that the devices still supplement a well planned Standard based lesson, and that she must facilitate and progress monitoring daily. Cesar, the district has a strong firewall, and certain websites are blocked, but the teacher uses her username and password to get through the firewall if he or she deems the website appropriate. Teachers get 30 minute time increments. Most everything that students need is available to them. Anytime an inappropriate breach happens, the technician is alerted and will come to the classroom to let the teacher know. In this particular classroom, Edmodo is used as well as other district software for Math and Science. Another idea on the use of iPads: For poetry, I used my iPads to introduce Poems, and gave studen

This is a great website that offers educational videos as resources for students to view as examples.

I liked the fact that videos are divided in subcategories and that you can learn about anything. Knowledge is at the tip of our fingertips.

Victoria, Khan Academy is a great resource every teacher should use. The educational videos are very well made and it keeps the students engaged. The other feature that is awesome is that you can "sign up" and it keeps track of your progress as you go through different videos and activities. Khan Academy is Great!

I love the fact that it's individualized per student. It's great that it's FREE and that students can be assessed after the skill/lesson has been reviewed. I was hoping there would be something for English/Language Arts. I'm sure going to share this with our Math and Science department because I believe it's useful for student practice.

Great videos and completely learner centered. One thing that our district is always wanting is data on student progress and this is a great way to assess in a child centered way. I also wish this was available for Reading Language Arts. Great info, thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing this informative website. I like it that is not only for students but for parents too. Parents and students can get resources. This website has alot of lessons that students can use for them after reviewing a lesson.

Thank you for the video link. This website is actually used at our campus daily for SAT testing preparation and tutorial trainings. What I expecially like is the video rendering process vs. other software...it's great. The student are able to view videos without interuption or video rendering delays. I highly recommend this website to everyone for all areas of educational levels. It offers a high variety of video in every content of learning that you will need. It's a great website. Thank you..Blanca

Excellent website with lots of videos and examples! The videos provide detail explanation about each topic. The practices allow you to practice the skills that you just learned in the video.

Great website! I love that there are many videos that educators could use as part of their lessons and parents can also benefit from this website as well.

The videos are great and ideal for the whole learning community. It's great for practicing the skill and developing a skill. Thank you for sharing.

Yadira this is a great website I am looking forward to utilizing the Drop.io in my classroom especially for the end of day reflection this helps with the 3-2-1 where my students can reflect on what they liked, what they learned and what they want to learn on a daily lesson. Thanks for sharing.

Yadira, thank you for sharing this website with all of these interesting Web 2.0 tools. I enjoyed learning about the presentation, mobile, and video tools that were discussed in each video. I would use Animoto for Education and Picviewr in my classroom. There were quite a few Web 2.0 tools that I was not aware of and plan on visiting the websites. Thanks again for sharing this website.

Yadira, great website and videos. I am going to use web 2.0 tool (picsviewr)for my student's and parent's presentations. I have never used this web 2,0 tool but I like how I can shared a powerpoint or information in differents ways by using pickviewr. I also enjoyed the community tools. It was very informative and I'm going to use different web 2.0 tools that were mentioned on these videos.

Great that you liked the website. I bumped into it while completing an assignment fro 6340 and have found it very useful especially in getting creative in the classroom.

Yadira, this website is awesome because it organizes different web 2.0 tools into separate categories. For example, Presentation tools, video tools, mobile tools, community tools, and related links. Two tools that would be very useful in classroom would be found in the "Presentation and Video Tools" links. I liked the "Picsviewer" found in the presentation tools link because this will to turn Flickr pictures into presentations. The other that I liked was the "photopeach" in the video tools tab. Photopeach will allow for pictures to be uploaded and then create slide shows out of them. I think those two were awesome but there are other great tools to use from this website. Thank you for sharing Yadira!

Thanks for sharing this website, just like Romel mentioned I also like that fact that it organizes web 2.0 tools in a very unique format that allows you to better understand the use of each tool. Two tools that would be very helpful in my classroom is the use of prezi for multimedia presentations and the use of wikis that allow you to collaborate with teachers and students to provide each other with feedback.

This video is a great eye opener to where our society is leaning towards if not already completely on that side. I am personally scared of such a change but highly believe in the power of this social networking shift. As educators, we need to understand why this is so important and how can we make it work for us in our profession. As a student, I have seen first hand how intense and engaging social media can be.Two things that really caught my attention were the following: * In 2009 U.S. Department of Education study revealed that, on average, online students outperformed those receiving face-to-face instruction. * One in six higher education students are enrolled in online curriculum. Regardless of the many reasons why, this is the future and we must not stay behind no matter how scary it might be.

I tend to lean towards the idea of social media becoming (or already there) a revolution. The reason for me is that I see it in use daily with our younger generations. This is the world they are being brought up in, and it is what they will be expecting to using as they grow older. One thing that does interest me is the fact that change seems to be happening quicker then it use to. So if that stays true will social media stay around as long as something like writing letters or email? Not sure about that! Thanks for the video...it raised some interesting points!

I don't think social media is just a fad but it's becoming a social media revolution. It's changing the way we communicate, and the way things are being done. Many people have joined social networking sites and the communication boundaries have been broken. It's interesting to see in this video how much time it took to reach 50 million users. The radio took 38 years, T.V. 13 years, Internet 4 years, IPODs 3 years, and Facebook 200 million users in less than a year!!! That's amazing! Social networking is a fundamental shift of how we communicate because it's very effective and efficient. Thank you for sharing this awesome video Victoria!

I also don't think that social media is a fad. We are able to communicate with so many individuals with Facebook and YouTube. The video showed that the largest increase of users on Facebook is females between the ages of 55 - 65. This might be happening because of mothers and grandmothers that are keeping in touch with their children and granchildren. I think social networking is a shift in how we communicate because I think it is easier to express yourself. I don't think one is as self-conscious about their comments when they post it on the Internet.

Victoria, Great video . I saw it twice because it has so much information that it makes me realize that our society focus on media or technology.. Even our young generation, they are not afraid to use any technology equipment that will give them information or input information for the community. I don't think social revolution is a fad, it is here already. Enjoyed it.

Victoria, Enjoyed video. I don't think social revolution is a fad. Now a days, everyone uses media to get or send information. It is here already but it is just improving with new techniques everyday. As we see our very young generation now, they are exposed to new technology equipment in which they explore with every media equipment thats out there in our world. Our world is changing.......

I also think social media is a revolution and not just a passing fad. If you ask a 1st grader, "How do people communicate?," just about all of them will mention facebook, text, cell phone, email, and if you give them some hints they'll finally say writing letters or notes, or face to face. Online communication is the fastest way to communicate and it's even easier to use it when we all carry a computer in our pockets or purses. Cell phones combined with online social media has made it much easier and faster for people to communicate within virtually seconds. Technology is now and it's the future, and we need to use it to our advantage whether it's for education, business, socializing, or networking.

Victoria I think that social media isn't a FAD with so much of importance it has gained even in many remote places of the world. But how long would you think is this trend going to continue? Something definitely will take over this trend so what will be the next big change? If you want to see a related video which talks about numbers and enough data to see social media I suggest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypmfs3z8esI Read this article on how the social media kingdom came into our lives fast and hasn't stopped changing since. http://heritage.com/articles/2012/03/21/heritagewest/news/doc4f69ce46f3375121907051.txt?viewmode=fullstory VERY INTERESTING!!!!

I think social media is definitely not a FAD. Social media influences everyone in the world and even the underdeveloped countries. Everyone has a Facebook and virtually a computer with us all the time our phones. Like that the video points out that if you are a company and want to exist you have to enter the trend.

I am the librarian at our school and I have only been there a few moths. However, I think that our school has teachers that are experts in using SMART boards and other projectors and such along with many Web 2.0 tools, but we also have teachers than use minimal technology. As far as the why, I'm not sure about every teacher on campus, but a lot of the teachers I talk to don't use technology as much as they like because they feel pressed for time. They are desperately trying to plan lessons, evaluate students' work, and address the students' weaknesses. I think in order to move forward, MTT's need to mentor as many teachers as possible, the administration needs to think outside the box so that teachers have time to plan for technology integration. This link http://www.ejmste.com/v5n3/EURASIA_v5n3_Bingimlas.pdf is for an article that discusses the barriers to technology integration. It would be beneficial for teachers to read and discuss what is holding them back so we, as a campus, come up with a plan to ensure everyone gets on board.

I am a 5th grade teacher at Adame Elementary and Marc Prensky description of technology integration in education describes my campus. I agree with Adriana when she says that teachers are pressed for time, especially with the STAAR test. There is a total of three computer labs at my school that are rarely used for integrating technology with the curriculum. It seems that the only technology on our campus being used is tutorial programs to enhance test scores. In the four years that I have worked at my campus I don't think we are any closer to the movement of technology integration. Unfortunately, I blame the pressure brought upon our education system, which is test driven. During the President's State of the Union Address on Tuesday he stated, "In return, grant school flexibility: To teach with creativity and passion: To stop teaching to the test :"(West Seattle Herald, Jan. 29, 2012). I think Donna ISD is heading in the right direction with the MTT program. As an MTT I will need to start sharing my knowledge with the staff through staff development and show them how enthusiastic students are to learning when given the opportunity through technology. It worries me that my students will not be prepared for the 21st century if our education system continues to be test driven, rather than technology driven. The link http://www.westseattleherald.com/2012/01/27/news/local-educators-say-obamas-state-union-address-hi is the President's State of the Union Address.

I am one of the Math teachers in Donna high school and technology integration in our campus, atleast in our department, I could say that we are still a little behind. Technology is in place but integrating them in our day to day lessons is still missing. It may not be because we have no idea to inlcude them in our curriculum but I trully believe that some of our teachers still need to be reminded that technology integration should be considered as a tool to provide effective learning experience and success for our students, connecting with them in ways they are native to. And as "digital immigrants" that we are, change is still something to be accepted. "Everybody is talking about technology integration, but few practicing teachers profess to know exactly how to proceed. The fact is that real integration requires change. . . . However, what seems to be lacking is a model that teachers can use to guide them through the necessary changes they will need to make to be successful in integrating new technology into their classroom" (Johnson & Liu, 2000, p. 4). In regards to the question on where in the process we are in our campus i should say we are still in between stages "doing old thing in old ways" and "doing old things in new ways". I do have seen some movement in our technology integration for the past 2-3 years. Student terminals, smartboards, internet access for our students, clickers, are are just some of the technology tools that we are using but integrating them are still in the works I believe. As MTT mentors in the future, I trully believe that we should have the burden to share our ideas and teach our colleagues what we have learned and be an instrument of change, genuine change in our classrooms. http://www.techlearning.com/article/41670

This article neatly summed up many of the barriers facing true technology integration. Several issues resonated with my own experiences. As Elva and President Obama stated above, often teachers primary worry in the classroom is preparing students for state examinations. Third graders spend entire lessons learning how to analyze a multiple choice question and answer it! If students do poorly on a district wide test, teachers go into immediate action to fix the problem. This pressure comes from administration, school districts, and states. In the end, teachers need to produce good to excellent test scores or they end up losing their positions. It's not that teachers don't want to integrate the technology, but at the end of the day, their performance assessment will reflect more heavily upon how their students scored on a test and not how frequently the SmartBoard was utilized. That being said, fully embracing technology could greatly enhance test scores. It will take time. There will be big failures. There will also be big successes! According to Peter Kent's "SmartBoards: Interactive Whiteboards in the Classroom", "The catch phrase 'it is not the technology, it is the teacher' has never been so true as it is with interactive whiteboards. An even truer phrase however would be 'it is not just the teacher, it is the school'." Smartboards are just one example of technology that can be utilized in the classroom to increase test scores. However, whenever trying something new there will be failures. Teachers and their administration must understand that and be willing to reevaluate what they are doing. It takes our students multiple tries to master a new concept; we should allow ourselves the same time to master new technology. Works Cited: Kent, P. (2003). Smartboards: Interactive whiteboards in classrooms. In Retrieved from http://www.lhric.org/

I can definitely agree with Marc Presnsky's article when it comes to the barriers that prohibit technology integration to occur. I think the first step in moving forward with this concept is the teacher. Prensky writes, "..the teachers and administrators famously resist change." "...such shifting certainly initially means more work and pressure on educators, who already fell overburdened." I think with most teachers, it is fear that is hindering them from fully embracing technology. If teachers are not comfortable or are familiar with the integration of a Web 2.0 tool, then they will definitely not be comfortable teaching/integrating it into their classrooms. As far as my campus, Veterans Middle School, I believe some progress has occurred within the last 2-3 years, it has been a slow paced progress with one or two teachers slowly embracing it. This can be attributed part to Technology Trainings provided by the district as well as the Master of Technology Teacher Program that has been provided to the entire district. Those few teachers who have chosen to participate in the program are getting the skills and confidence, so they in turn will mentor other teachers. The only way to move forward is to collaboratively work as a District and as a campus with technology integration in mind. The following article/blog provides eight simple steps to help the classroom teacher integrate technology. "Implementing Effective Technological Change: What a Classroom Teacher Needs." April 2011 by Greg Swanson. http://edtechtoolbox.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-support-teachers.html

I am a BIM teacher and I guess it is easy for me to integrate technology because if I'm not using it then I am really not doing my job, because it is expected as a technology teacher. I have heard all kinds of barriers that teachers complain about, one is not enough computers or not enough training but in fact there is training and the bottom line is the change, some people find it hard to change but once they decide to give technology a try and they become consisted with using it the technology starts working for them or at least they will see it that way. Time will always be an issue and we are in education so we must make do with what we have and in our school just about everyone has a smart board and that is a step up from a regular chalk board which is an easy tech tool to engage students. The support must be there after the training because a teacher needs some one there to follow up on their training just to make sure they are implementing the technology correctly in their lessons and of course integrating other applications as well. (Dragula, 2005) Persistance and consistency is the key to integrating technology and not staying behind with the dinosaurs. Dragula, M.ED, J. (2005, April 1). How to Overcome Technology Integration Barriers. Retrieved from Tech & Learning: http://www.techlearning.com/article/42541

The campus has shown much improvement integrating technology into their curriculum. More teachers are becoming familiar with Web 2.0 tools, licensed software and diverse hardware devices. Teachers want to integrate technology however face many challenges such as time to learn the skills and to integrate them into their curriculum, technical support, funding, and software/hardware. Some teachers become discourage and impatient when they encounter technical difficulties; thus, classroom computers become unused. According to Great Schools, many schools are now providing each student a laptop to access classroom curriculum, elementary schools are utilizing blogging a vehicle to collaborate and improve writing skills. Many schools are now using Web 2.0 tools to engage students and enhance student learning. Implementing any change becomes beneficial if done properly. Integrating technology becomes possible when teachers are adequately trained, software and hardware are available, provided continuous support is provided and ample time is given to implement the skill Great Schools. Technology in the classroom: Fad or foundation for learning? Retrieved from: http://www.greatschools.org/students/media-kids/130-technology-in-the-classroom-fad-or-foundation-for-learning.gs

Since the implementation of the Master Teacher Technology Program (MTT) in our school district, I have seen a strengthened professional development in the use of technology for classroom instruction. The MMT program has been vital in creating networking connections with other teachers so that we are not working in isolation in the integration of technology. These small teacher groups are gradually moving forward to demonstrate technology integration in their classes to other teachers that are hesitant or fear it. We are learning from each other and becoming a buddy to someone else in our campuses. By networking, we overcome the fear of the unknown in technology usage and work with what we have in the classroom. Adaptation is critical, since most classroom teachers in our school district only have four computers for student usage, whiteboard, projector, and teacher instructional computer. Boss, S. (August 2008). Overcoming Technology Barriers: How to Innovate Without Extra Money or Support. Retrieved from www.edutopia.org: http://www.edutopia.org/technology-how-to-implement-classroom

My campus has shown improvement in the past couple of years. Every classroom has a document camera and a smart-board! Almost every class has about 4 class computers for the students to use. The computers are not just for programs now. The computers are used for so much more now. The students have the knowledge on how to use the internet as search engines for research. The students know how to use social networking, which sometimes is not a good idea, but they know how to use it. Some times the students know how to use the computers better than the teacher. But we are always learning because technology is always changing. This is awesome because the students get to be more involved and teachers see how the technology helps the students understand the subjects better! I don't agree with this quote from a Maine teacher "You can mourn the passing of handwriting if you must; the kids certainly won't. If they are writing better and more detailed papers, yes, there has been progress." I think that technology is great but sometimes because a computer has spell check students don't know how to spell. Handwriting should still be taught as well as grammar and spelling. Sometimes these subjects are left behind do to computers. I know that in the future handwriting may be obsolete due to technology but it shouldn't!!!! http://www.edutopia.org/adopt-and-adapt

I have only been in my school for this first semester. I have not observed many teachers implementing technology in their lessons. Technology seems to be slowly creeping into our lessons. The use of document cameras and projectors are very popular, but the actual implementation with students is minimal. One of my colleagues mentioned that time is an issue, and it is. We are very focused on delivering and making sure our students understand all concepts taught that we often leave the creativity and inquiry out of our lesson plans. Nellie Deutsch mentions that educators are eager and motivated to implement technology into the classroom, but that there are many obstacles to overcome. I couldn't agree more, we need more time to practice and explore the technologies and programs that we wish for our students to use. http://www.nelliemuller.com/obstacles_to_technology_implementation.htm