The Flipped Classroom

Flipping the classroom, or reverse instruction, has been quite trendy lately.  For those new to the topic, it means giving lectures or instruction to students over the internet and using the in class time to actually do work, discuss, or solve problems.  Teachers often accomplish this via podcasting of lectures or screencasting sample problems for students to use as a model. You can see examples of it on many educational blog posts and Youtube is increasely filled with more academic content than just Angry Birds tutorials.  I've been watching this trend and seeing some of our teachers begin engaging in it.





Salman Khan has a great TED talk on what has eventually developed into Khan Academy.  He has some interesting insight and thoughts that are fantastic for reflection.  He has found strategies to gather data to impact what is being presented back to students.  Take some time to watch the video if you haven't.

As I've watched the application of these ideas and concepts to the classroom, some educators have really used this with tremendous benefit to students.  Research has shown the benefits for students to be able to pause, rewind, and carefully take notes on a lecture.  Some teachers have given students a lecture to view at home and then use the in class time for discussion or to practice solving problems.  Aside from increasing the class time available for working with teacher assistance and student to student interaction, sending these lectures home gives students a finite time of homework.

On the other side of the coin, I have seen teachers put a lot of extra time on students because they now put every lecture up on Youtube.    It is important for teachers to retain balance in the work they send home.  I also think the art of the interactive lecture can be lost in this format.  At times, lecture is an appropriate way to deliver instruction (despite what I would call myths that this is never appropriate).  However, interactive lectures engage students and flex the content around the responses and reactions of the participants.  And I do mean participants.  To relinquish a presentation to one way video can leave out the interactive nature of teaching.  It's not all bad but something to consider within a flipped classroom context.

We need to be careful that we don't misapply the flipped classroom methodology so it overburdens students and removes an important element of personal interaction from students that is the learning and dialogue we desire in our classrooms.  As with so many things in life, we need balance.   I have seen some applications that take and mistakenly apply it in ways that just aren't helpful and really don't embody the same type of online education that Khan and others advocate.   I've approached this idea with caution because extremism can be dangerous in any trendy fad.

What do you think?  What do you see as the pros of the flipped classroom and the pitfalls to avoid?

Fighting Back the Chaos

Today's world is full of information overload.  Perhaps it would be accurate to say application overload in some cases.  As we move from device to device or application to application, maintaining some semblance of organization is critical.  Yes, critical.  I'm not an organization freak as those around me will attest, but having some idea of how to organize information and resources is important.  We constantly run across websites we want to refer back to later.  We identify resources that are useful to share with others.  We also access certain information from different browsers or applications.  For example, I have about 3 different applications for twitter just on my laptop which I use interchangeably.  Then we move from our laptops to our iPhones to iPads etc.

CC Information Overload by Jorge Franganillo (Flickr)

We are not always on the same device so how do we make the "cloud" (internet based applications and storage of resources) work for us?  If we do not have a plan, chaos will take over and we will just miss out on resources buried in an overwhelming pile of stuff.  We need to help students with this skill too. I'll outline some of my own personal strategy to fight back the chaos.

I am always surprised how many people don't use bookmarks (see my previous post for more on bookmarking).  I have all my common sites in my toolbar.  This makes them easy to access anywhere.  I use Xmarks to sync all my bookmarks across all my devices.  This also makes them accessible by logging into the Xmarks site when on a public computer.  Although Xmarks can do other things like sync passwords and such, I use it solely for syncing bookmarks across devices and browsers.  It has an install plugin for almost any browser on any platform.  I have upgraded to the premium and find it worth every penny but a free version is available.

I also use Dropbox.  Lots of different applications allow you to use Dropbox to access information across devices (see more info here).  I find this is a valuable tool for having files and information easily synced across multiple devices.  It also makes a backup always available in case a device is lost or stolen.

I like Instapaper for reading articles later.

For example, I typically check my twitter network on my phone which regularly gives me useful links and information.  I have several methods to deal with this information.

1. I have created a free account with Instapaper.  I have added this bookmark applet to my toolbar on my browser which allows me to just click on "Read Later" and it is saved to my account.  Instapaper can be accessed on my iPhone or laptop easily.  It tracks what I have read and I just archive after I have finished.  I always know what articles are yet to be read.  
2. I often just skim my Twitter and don't do extensive reading.  So I email myself a tweet at my gmail account.  I have setup a filter that automatically removes it from the inbox and labels it so I can review it later.  Filters are powerful and often underused email feature.  This also makes it easy to search tweets I want to find later.
3. I can use my Diigo account to bookmark certain links right in my phone.
4. Xmarks makes a lot of this simply because it syncs my bookmark applet for Diigo and Instapaper across browsers and my phone.

Lastly, I also highly recommend RSS feeds.  I use Google Reader to keep up with blogs that I follow.  It is easy and accessible on my phone or laptop.  

How do you keep your life organized between browsers, applications, and devices?  Do you have other recommendations to share?

Margins

Life is busy and we fill it up with all kinds of things. Some things are better time investments than others, but who have you worked with that isn't busy? The bigger question to ask ourselves is whether or not we are being productive. Let's note that productive can take many forms. The most obvious is rooted in the word itself--producing a product. This product may be exemplar lessons for other teachers, great learning experiences for students, or curriculum documents. It might also take less tangible forms through leadership and the positive influence on colleagues. Being productive means contributing to your community and making it better for everyone--students and colleagues. It isn't about you...or me.

When we become so busy that we are just trying to survive, we become inward focused. We stop turning outwards and contributing to the community. We can easily become self-absorbed and focused only on our own little sphere of our work. It's not intentional, but it's a human coping and survival mechanism.

So we need margins. Margins are that lag time so that every minute of every day isn't filled up. It leaves us open to get involved and invest in our community. It's part of a healthy life, healthy organization, and a sustainable pace in the organization. It's not necessarily a new idea. It is one that I've been thinking a lot about lately. Andy Stanley has spoken articulately about this idea and Leo Babauta touches the idea in many of his posts, particularly a recent one on Frictionless Work.

If you don't have any margins, take some time to reflect and see what you can do to create some. We all need them. And the organization, the community, and our families suffer if we don't. How about you? Any suggestions that you wish to share with others on how to successfully create or sustain margins?

Doing it better

During the recent Apple training I attended, Rebecca Stockley facilitated several of the meetings. She is an improvisation specialist and helped facilitate the meeting times, encouraging the flow and collaboration. She has worked extensively with Pixar. When asked about her experience at Pixar, she said a key to their success is the philosophy...

If it worked the first time, don't do it again. Do it better.

It is integrated in their organizational culture. If they don't push the envelope to get better, they will not stay on top. It sounds very similar to Thomas Friedman (note this is a loose paraphrase by memory) when he says the question is not whether or not your product will become obsolete. Everything becomes obsolete. At this point, it is more a question of whether you will make it obsolete or someone else will.

So there is something to be said for going beyond the status quo. What is the motivation and what does success look like? I think the "why" is a critical component. Why do you seek to be better? Why do you seek to be the best? As we invest in our organizations and set priorities, the why is a pivotal key to defining success. We need to stay focused on pursuing goals for the right reasons or it is easy to get sidetracked and "busy" without substance to our work.

Deep Breath...Cannonball!

SPLASH! My 3 year daughter has decided she loves to do cannonballs into the pool. She is pretty hilarious. She yells and takes a big leap, coming up smiling (most of the time). Because her sister wears goggles, she insists she needs them too although they do not keep out much water. We recently went on vacation and it was great to get our breath and just enjoy being together as a family and relax, mostly screen free for almost a week.

Life gets busy and we need balance. We need to make sure we are taking care of ourselves emotionally, intellectually, physically and spiritually among other components. At different points, it is easy to focus too much on just one component and ignore the others. We should strive for balance. We preach it to our students, and we need to model it ourselves.

My brief hiatus from my blog has been a chance for me to catch my breath as we move towards the spring and end of year push that happens annually in schools. If you need a breath, take it. We all need to breath.

And after some refreshment, we can jump in and move ahead...Cannonball!

Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010

As we enter the new year, it is the time of lists and reflections. Check out the ads that show up on webpages or article headlines--best of this, worst of that, top 10 of 2009, etc. We too often omit the very important time of reflection in so many areas of our lives. Holidays and events like the new year help us remember their importance. As we embark on a new semester, I hope that you will reflect. To help you along, consider some of these questions:

• What do I have to celebrate from 2009?
• How have I been blessed in 2009?
• Are my priorities in the right order and perspective?

Reflection is not relative to others, but at the same time, I can't help but think of my situation in light of others. I have food, shelter, heat in the winter, a retirement plan, toys for my kids, a great family, colleagues & friends that care about my well-being...I could go on. So many people in the world don't have even one of these things. I am blessed and I have much to celebrate. It makes 2010 look like a great year to invest in others and share so many blessings with others. I pray that I will be successful to do just that.

Simplifying Life - Part 3

So I've talked a lot about prioritizing in the last few posts. I have also talked about managing life and getting organized. For some people, it is easier than others. If you visit my office, you might question if I'm really living this out. Yes, I am...but we can't make wholesale changes all at once. I've started in my bedroom and spread out to my home. I've also gone to work to work on my computer and making sure I am digitally organized and "de-cluttered". That is still a work in progress. My office will come...but baby steps.

Substantive and sustainable change requires manageable steps

that match reality with theory.

My office is down the list. Just wait and see...

Digital Clutter

I've talked quite a bit about clutter recently and getting organized. What does the desktop of your computer look like? Does it look something like my desk with papers everywhere and stuff just piled up? I've seen many computer desktops that are so cluttered with "junk" that it's a wonder the person can even find an icon to start their internet browser.

When we talk about getting organized, it not just the papers on your desk, picking up your clothes, or putting some toys away. It's your email inbox. It's the attachments you save. It's the new files you are creating and working on. It's your digital life too. Take a few seconds and put stuff away.

Michael Hyatt talks about declaring email bankruptcy. If there is an area that is too out of control, adapt Michael Hyatt's idea and declare bankruptcy. If you file system is too out of control, archive the whole lot into a folder called Archive 2009. Create a new file structure that works. Then save all new files and any old ones you use into the new structure. Leave the junk in the archived files.

Make a plan. Setup an organization structure that works for you. Take some time to manage your digital life before it manages you.

Things

Several people have asked me about Things which I referenced in a recent post. I really like its features. I used to use Checkoff, but like many task lists, the list just got longer and longer. It easily became too big to identify priorities.

In my opinion, setting priorities is where Things really helps me manage life.

Features I really like:

• Viewing Today tasks with the ability to drag & drop to shift list and set priorities for the day
• The Someday category which allows me to stick projects in a future to-do list area and knowing that it is not always popping up yet be there to review at any point
• Tag tasks so they are easily searchable, inclusive of setting priorities
• Manage multi-step projects by allowing me to prioritize and set dates for certain steps
• Drag and drop files into specific tasks (doesn't actually store the file but rather a shortcut to it)
• Scheduling tasks for certain dates and re-prioritizing tasks as needed to prioritize correctly
• Set custom shortcut keys so I can copy and paste information in quickly and easily
• Very intuitive interface so little learning curve in utilizing features
• Logs completed tasks so I can refer back or see what I have been doing with my time

I'm not trying to advocate that everyone go out and buy Things for their task list. It may not work for you. But perhaps the features that I like will help you think about how you are using your task list and what kinds of features you should look for and utilize to help you prioritize and manage life.

Simplifying Life - Part 2

Professional growth can come by a variety of paths. I stumbled across a blog entitled Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. I'm not sure where I got it but Time ranked it as one of the best 25 blogs in 2009. Zen Habits has some nice tips for everyday life and productivity. From this blog, I was referred to a relatively new blog that Babauta has started: mnmlist. I particularly like his post titled Clutter is Procrastination.

Read it. Seriously. I think he is right.

Clutter is often a result of my unwillingness to act now. Sometimes waiting and reflecting is a good thing. But more often than not, it postpones action which adds stress to our lives and mounts up into bigger projects than a simple effort to finish tasks.

Whether it is email, dirty clothes, or the kids toys, I'm trying to keep the clutter at bay. Put in the extra 15 seconds or 2 minutes to get the job done.

Leo's mnmlist blog references the fact we fill our lives with a lot of unnecessary things. We buy lots of stuff we don't need and sometimes never use. How much time and energy have we invested into "things" that are not important. So much of this comes back to priorities. I'm no zen guru and don't desire to be, but there is something to be said for simplifying life. Leo says,

It just takes the decision to live with less, and to be content with where you are and what you have and who you are.

Sounds like some advice worth considering...

Simplifying Life - Part 1

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

As I embarked on another school year this fall, I reflected on the past and considered how I wanted to go forward. And I wanted to travel a different road. I think my reflections were based on 2 realizations: 1) We fill our time no matter how much or how little we have; 2) We want to and have the opportunity to do more things than time allows. These 2 concepts are coupled together and I have known them, but I have not changed my actions to adjust -- until now.

Priorities are critical. When we have more than we can do, what do we choose to do? If we just let life happen, odds are good we'll work on trivial things but are we working on what is most important? Sure, I get stuff done, but is it the right stuff?

I've made a decision--I am not going to just let life happen. I'm going to do what I can to prioritize. Please note: I did not say control. That's God's job. But I can prioritize what does come my way. Prioritizing starts with knowing what we are doing and what we need to do. And it means some stuff may not get done today. And it may mean some stuff never gets done because it should not be a priority.

So, how am I doing this? First, I am working with a task list. My previous task list was my post-it note on my desk or my email inbox. If life was good, I had 25-30 messages in my inbox in each of my 2 work inboxes so a total of 50-60 messages. When life got hectic, I would double that. That is a pretty poor way to manage tasks yet I have a strong suspicion that I'm not the only one that does this. Anyone need to confess?

Now, I read my emails. I leave them there if they will be responded to later in the day. If they aren't a priority for the day, I copy and paste the relevant part of the email to my task list and schedule it when it fits as a priority. And it may get rescheduled multiple times as I adapt to changing tasks. Responding is important, but it may not be important immediately. Of all the emails I get, a small part is actionable. The actionable part goes on my to-do list. The rest can be saved or deleted. My goal is to get my inbox at 0 messages each night before I go home. The exception is something I plan to respond to first thing the next morning. However, never more than 1 or 2 messages remain. In an effort of full disclosure, I have been doing this for 2+ weeks--so far, so good. All tasks don't come through email but it is just one example of what I am talking about. Using a task list also keeps you focused on the priorities you have set...not new distractions coming into your inbox or across your desk.

Getting organized is just one step I have taken. I use Things to accomplish this. It allows me to schedule tasks and even drag shortcuts of files into my to do list. Whether you use Things or something else, get organized and prioritize.