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"For those just getting started, a few basic terms to help you easily and quickly navigate your way around Twitter. For those who already use Twitter, you may want to jump down to the next section, Benefits for Educators, or simply download the Twitter Cheat Sheet at the bottom of the post."

Real-world problem solving: She decided that she would use geographic information systems software to find out how the Washington, D.C., metro affects development. An opportunity that required analysis of lots of data.

This seems right up the Early Adopters alley. It appeaars the fundamental concepts of this course are what Dan Pink would classify as "High Concept". The score regarding the astounding volume of what has been written, staff developed, and high dollar conferenced over the past two decades regarding technology integration seems to be a solid D. We focus our time, talent, and treasure on hardware, connectivity, applications, and platforms and mostly loose sight of THE question: To what end? What I see in my experience is still very much a knowledge acquisition based, "covering the curriculum" approach. I see it in my own practice even as I claim rebellion from it! Why? Pressure from every aspect of the edu-enterprise: from high stakes testing to pedagogy by bus schedule, to campus administration initiatives. No matter the innovative gift wrap, the message is the same: Cover the material and pass the test! Streamlining efforts in terms of curriculum don't streamline anything - they just rearrange chairs on the same size deck. "Every Second Counts" but we aren't going to change a single thing. Do not even consider the shape, size or capacity of the Edu-Plate, just keep piling new initiatives on top of the old and wonder why increases in nutritional value are static....Perhaps this course might allow us to take a real hard look at practice to get to the point, the end, the goal of creating critical thinking deep learners.I hope you'll join me!

Daniel Pink asks what drives us. Sir Ken Robinson asks us to inspire creativity in our students. The latest in education is asking us to teach our students to create their own questions, do their own research, and form their own conclusions with their learning. Why?

I gave a final exam designed to do just that - provide the opportunity for students to see, touch, and feel that information is cheap and freely available and therefore, there is little inherent value in finding it and especially in spitting it back!. Either my mission was flawed (no surprise), or the deck is seriously stacked against the effort. The result: MUST FIND ANSWERS! Wow, look at me, I have the answers....Couldn't apply it if my life depended on it, but man, just look at my answers! I was preaching the Problem Solver, PBL mantra in a recent conversation and was told bluntly, providing that opportunity in the real isolation of 1 45 minute period out of 7 is a complete waste of time. Man, that stung and I continue to resist it, but there is a very large kernel of CAP T Truth present there.