January 23 celebrates National Handwriting Day. I admit my own handwriting has become worse as I have become more comfortable with a keyboard and screen than a pen and paper. But what about our kids? My own children prefer to type up their homework than write it. Is the art of handwriting to become a lost skill?

“Though computers and e-mail play an important role in our lives, nothing will ever replace the sincerity and individualism expressed through the handwritten word,” David H. Baker, WIMA’s Executive Director, is quoted as saying on the WIMA Web site.

For those interested in celebrating National Handwriting Day, TeacherVision offers downloadable activities for students in K-8.

As we increasingly turn to computers for writing purposes, is good handwriting still a skill that children need to learn?

Curtis Bonk, professor emeritus at Indiana University, focuses on the idea of technology as a way to have multiple perspectives on international matters and analyze data at a deeper level for school pupils. This short video discusses some ideas for using technology in the classroom to enhance a students understanding of a concept at a deeper and a global level. Transcript below.

Robin Good: I am receiving this idea that those kids and those pioneers among us pushing the envelope will be the models of this emerging revolution, but the resistance from the existing educational system is very strong.
Also what I noticed is that these so-called digital natives are not as schooled as they are painted to be. They are cool because they have those tools as natural tools in front of them, but most of the time they are clueless on the best use of these tools on themselves, out of the very easy superficial social tools that they start to learn right away.
Digital natives do not seem to get what are the possibilities in front of them because they do not really have models inside their educational institutions that help them think critically about the opportunities available to them. The education system also makes them think in ways quite opposite in the way of forming them as humans that can have value inside society, that are kind of opposite to the once being offered by those very technologies. I am having some conflicts with all that.
Curtis Bonk: Let’s think about the Flat Classrooms Project.
The Flat Classrooms Project is the only one discussed in my book, Thomas Friedman’s The World Is Flat book, Don Tapscott’s WIKINOMICS book and Growing Up Digital.
What they do in the flat classrooms, in Digiteen Project, they take a book like mine, or whatever book they might have, my blended book or whatever they have got, and they analyze the book. And in this case, these kids in secondary schools, work with other kids around the world to understand the technologies that make learning open. This semester they are using my book actually, The World is Open book. It is making them aware of what are the technologies for learning. Last year they looked at Growing Up Digital, the book from Don Tapscott, and they analyzed it across the world.
You are right, kids today have pretty savvy skills for their mobile devices, they can use them for chats and all this. But they are not for learning.
How do we transform the mobile devices or these synchronous conferencing tools?
In the Flat Classrooms Project they use Ning to form groups with other kids around the world, wikis to summarize the book across cultures, video conferencing like this to discuss what they have learned and do peer interaction. They use other kinds of tools like Twitter, microblogging and blogs. How can that one-off project become the norm?
How can those synchronous as well as asynchronous collaborative technologies push all through all schools? This is the power of technology I have been talking about since 1987. I think that video conference like this can let kids stand in each others shoes. They can see perspectives. That to me can change the whole teaching and learning arena. We have to pushing the global head, international head for perspective taking.
So I understand people in Italy better, which I do not admittedly, or people in Pakistan or some other places around the world. To me this is the most powerful way to use technology. It is to do cross-cultural collaboration like the ePals projects and others, there is something called the IEARN Project. That will get kids in K-12 schools thinking about collaboration, teaming, these digital skills that you are talking about to critically analyze data. Not just accept what they see, but to analyze it with their peer groups. When they see a group in Italy critiquing a document that they thought was great, they will see that they really were not thinking about the credibility of the sources, the quality of the resources.
When I have done any international collaboration with my students, with my teachers, they see that once we go to Finland, Peru or Korea, those students are analyzing the data in a different way, and they are opened up to the fact that they are really not going as in-depth as they need to go. I really think that international collaboration pushes us up to ego-centric points of view to multiple perspectives. That is one way of using technology that can help with this digital teen issue.

What a simple concepts for using technology in a way that opens children up to the powerful way in which these technologies can be used for collaborative learning at a global level.

I was reading an article about one Headmistress’s view that education has become so focused on getting children through exams that the very passion or enjoyment for the subject has been lost.

Full article here.

In education surely we should be focused on engaging children’s minds and encouraging them to question whilst also learning the skills to apply the knowledge? Not to simply learn strategies to pass exams. We should be allowing our educators the freedom to inspire their pupils, not to be constrained to the teaching of skills and content to meet targets.

Education is a gift for a lifetime. The skills learnt need to be ones that can be applied throughout their life, not just to pass another hurdle in the education system. The ability to assimilate information, to question, to extract relevant material and apply it in a variety of settings are skills that are needed throughout life. The passing of exams is a natural by product of that. To simply teach content and strategies that hit targets is denying our children the value of a real education.

Recent articles in the press report that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is looking at creating paperless classrooms by introducing digital textbooks. One report here.

Although budgets may be driving Mr Schwarzenegger’s current decision could this be the start of using technology to a greater extent in education? Can ebooks comfortably sit side by side with traditional media whether in the form of a textbook or fiction? Indeed, can using this technology enhance a student’s learning?

Forward thinking teachers will no doubt be exploring how technology can develop learning experiences for their pupils. They will know that learning is not transformed simply by the use of technology, but by how it is used creatively. This is where teachers can bring their greatest skills to the table, the application of the tools available to enhance learning. So whether it be ebooks or other media, students have a greater opportunity to learn when a variety of methods are employed to engage them.

I was reflecting the other day on the differences between my own education and that of my children. My memories are of blackboards and chalk, the teacher at the front talking at us as we furiously took notes, glued to the desk until it was time for lunch. I can remember very little of the content.

Whereas, in my own children’s education they are engaged in multi-sensory experiences. When they learn about a topic they create art, they create video, they create music, they use computers. They put their learning into different contexts which appeals to their different learning styles. Using a multi-sensory approach embeds their learning at a much deeper level.

But most importantly they are having fun. When they come home from school and can’t wait to tell me about what they have been doing it reinforces the learning yet again.

So for me the future of education has to be about finding different methods to engage children in learning, finding multiple ways to reinforce the message, using multiple tools to keep their attention. When their life outside school is a bombardment of multi-sensory experiences their education within school has to mirror that to keep their attention. Engaging our youngest minds, both in and out of school, by using a variety of formats and content has to make for a richer learning experience. What do you think?

As parents we all want to give our children the best of the best, and that includes the best start at education. Most understand the importance of reading with your child to increase their joy of not only reading but learning. 

When reading with your child ask them:

What was the story about? Where did it take place? When did it take place? Was there a moment that was especially exciting or moving? How did it come about? Was there a character that you really liked? Why? What did you discover through reading this book? What was the main thing the author wanted you to learn? These question will allow them to fall deeper into the story and recall more information. This may not be as important when reading Cinderella as it is when reading Biochemical Microbiology.   Whether you are reading from a book, Kindle or online… the focus is the same - reading is the main and most wonderful way to share ideas and imagination.  What do you share through books with your child?

Ollie Bray, Musselburgh Grammar’s depute headteacher, saw off competition from across the continent to scoop top prize at the Microsoft European Innovative Teachers Forum Awards in Vienna.

Ollie Bray, educator chose to educate his students using the same tools they were using but in a different way. For 2 years he has been teaching subjects with games. Brilliant. Using Guitar Hero, a game that teaches rhythm, math and concentration. Its no news flash that music helps kids better their math skills and increases focus. For schools with no music programs this is a great alternative. Bray says,

This is an investment in children, not in computer games. I was pleased the judges realised the idea was not about learning guitar. It’s not expensive to run and children are already experienced in technology.

When we meet our students and our kids on the level to which they are, we connect and they are more likely to listen to what is being placed in front of them. I mean, what kids wants to sit in a classroom six hours a day and be so disconnected that he only dreams and checkout when the bell rings. Kids need to be understood and know that their ideas and interests are valid. If you can utilize tools that will get into kids heads that is the key to learning. 

Most teachers would just use play in schools. This gets teachers using good tools – computer games are very encouraging.
“I only play games that have some educational benefit to them. I was surprised, but absolutely delighted to get this award.
He will now qualify automatically for the Worldwide Innovative Teachers Awards in Brazil, taking place in November 2009.

 Get outside that four-walled box, try something new and different and see the response. 

I had the chance to talk with some really diverse and great teachers, moms, and directors this weekend and here part one of the what they are saying about online learning for kids.

First Jamie Miles a  Kindergarten Teacher of 3 years at a private school in Oklahoma City said:

NIL: What do you think about ebooks for enhancing kids learning:

Jamie: I personally have never used ebooks, We don’t use books as a center in my classroom. Usually centers are a learning game, puzzles, art…etc.Each child reads with me during centers but it is not a center activity. Our kids go to Computer Lab twice a week and usually do some sort of reading in that class

NIL: Do you think that kids can learn using technology if it is not a replacement for traditional reading?

Jamie: of course, technology is a great tool

NIL: in most classes do children have access to computers at home, and do you see that parents encourage kids to learn how to use them?

Jamie: well it depends on the school. In my school I would say most kids have access to a comp at home. But some schools especially poor districts will have kids that can’t afford it at home. As far as the kids is my class I know for a fact their parents encourage learning on a computer

I believe that online books and the option to read online is such a growing and maybe a little awesome opportunity to teach kids and get them involved in technology. The main problem is getting the tools in the schools and in the homes of those students that are missing this opportunity. All children need to have access to this tool if they have the hope of competing in the world to come.

Tomorrow Director extraordinaire!

In most elementary schools the utilization of computers is a fast growing tool to teach and introduce not only a different medium to children, but to aide in the learning of a technology that they will need for the rest of their education careers.

Technology use in schools is more than just learning how to access the Internet or typing skills it’s an understanding of the control of information children see, hear and learn. An understanding between the teacher, student and parents. Most children come into kindergarten with some knowledge of computers, even if it’s just observance of their parents using them. They know what they are and what they are used for. Being the little curious sponges that they are, when offered the chance to get to use them and behave like those they have seen use computers, it is an experience in of itself.

In Collected Research using computers with Kindergartners can be useful as well as frustrating; maintaining these guidelines can help your classroom, living room, or homeschooling environment become more relaxed and learning can take place.

1. Keep the lesson short and sweet. Something interactive, colorful or with music with help hold their attention.
2. Having programs that are open-ended and can be done as the student controls, with the  pace being set by the student.
3. Computers are used within the classroom, not set in another room or area. Something like “Centers” or “destinations” can be more accepted by the class.
4. The ability for audio to be used, so that those still working on letters and sounds can participate as well.
5. The use of media, such as a web cam or video camera to add to the picture or program they are using. This way they become part of the exercise.
6. After creating something the option to print it out and further color or bring home to share with others.
7. Programs that offer recognition and sound technology to emphasize sounds of letters or word phrases that can be followed along with.
8. Some of the greatest use of technology in the classroom is the option to have stories read through headphones as well as being able to follow along on a computer. A bonus would be to use story time that can be changed along with the flow of the story by the child listening and clicking on different points to enhance their story.
9. A subscription to a site like Wizz-e would provide another resource for online learning and reading.
10. A must is teaching children at a very young age what is and what is not safe behavior online. What to look at for and what to do in case they are asked funny questions online, who they can talk to about it and the understanding that some people are not good friends online.