"Welcome to EdTechAfterDark! Our community was born out of discussions for a rich EdChat type gathering for those of us who are thinking about the digital edu-landscape long after the sun has gone down. For us night owls, when the clock strikes 10PM EST, you’ll find us on Twitter over at #edtechafterdark. All are welcome! Our discussions range from our philosophies about EdTech, digital best practices, and simply sharing our stories." --www.edtechafterdark.com
Welcome to #edtechafterdark! I’m Dan, technology coach from FL. Tonight, we’ll be discussing #accountability systems and how we sometimes feed into a machine that’s not working. Introduce yourself, role in edu, and your favorite show on TV currently (or streaming)
A1. I think the entire community is: school, family, larger community organizations. They all play a role in the development of young humans. #EdTechAfterDark
A1: Well there are many answers. We, the educators have a responsibility. My parents assumed responsibility. Students themselves hopefully are cultivated to assume responsibility. I further believe that there are others who may have a responsibility to oversee #edtechafterdark
A1-Any adult who has a guiding role in a child’s life is RESPONSIBLE for their LEARNING. As for being ACCOUNTABLE to their EDUCATION, that’s another story... #edtechafterdark
It’s going well up here! Wait until I tell you about my adventures in the mountains! I had to come back to work to get some rest. Hope you are able to rest soon. Remember to care for yourself! #EdTechAfterDark
A1: the “village” of our school systemsaeach with an integral role, but when any one of us is not doing what’s best for students, their education becomes inequitable #EdTechAfterDark
Joining late y’all. Leslie from Atlanta. I’m ED of an awesome org that grows eduleaders in Georgia. Fave show currently on is Modern Family. #EdTechAfterDark
A2: I try to foster creativity in the little things throughout my teaching like writing. Kids can show off their creative side in their illustrations. I think I might have more flexibility in K. Kids LOVE sharing their talents. #EdTechAfterDark
A2: Creativity helps with the critical thinking skills. It allows for students to "think outside the box"...though it may not be formally measured, it is essential in the overall learning process #edtechafterdark
Hey Dean! 👋No kidding! Life is busy, and I haven’t made time! I’m working with Dan this year, and he’s been inspiring me to get back into it. I’ve missed my passionate Twitter fam! #EdTechAfterDark
A2 Grading systems need an overhaul ... too many “completion” grades that don’t measure learning ... I would recommend standards-based planning / grading ... focus on learning (which can include creativity) #EdTechAfterDark
A2-Creativity is a higher level of thinking than what is measured on tests. If students are really THINKING, then passing the test would be a lower standard to meet than waht’s actually happening in classrooms #edtechafterdark
A2: I try my very best to bring in self reflection and assessment inasmuch as the student is able to evaluate themselves after completion of a thing based on themselves before the thing. When they can see how they’ve grown, it trumps everything, no pun intended. #EdTechAfterDark
A2. I think that building capacity in our students to think, work, or produce creatively will help. No creativity isn’t part of the school grade, but it is part of life which continues long after our young ones have left our hallowed halls. #EdTechAfterDark
The Q begs question what does accountable mean? If I’m accountable to my spouse it means I feel responsibility/commitment to uphold my promises to him. Who has made promises to students in ed? That’s who is accountable. #EdTechAfterDark
A2: creativity increases engagement and focus-two key factors to the success on standardized assessments. It allows students to think outside the box that they are told to think in on a daily basis. It raises the future leaders that we want for our world! 🌎#EdTechAfterDark
I do like to create with, also. There’s something about showing the students your creativity along with the excitement and willingness to get messy in front of them. Creativity might get a lil messy #EdTechAfterDark
Amen! No one said “I want to be teacher because I’m passionate about tests!” We want our students to learn real skills and acquire real knowledge about our fascinating world #edtechafterdark
A2. I think that building capacity in our students to think, work, or produce creatively will help. No creativity isn’t part of the school grade, but it is part of life which continues long after our young ones have left our hallowed halls. #EdTechAfterDark
That’s it! Creativity is a life component not a grade component. Think #Life#EdTechAfterDark “I’m not teaching you for a grade, I’m teaching you for life.”
Super interesting work here and elsewhere around looking for measures of creativity or divergent thinking. We may get so bogged down in equating assessments w standardized test that it can seem impossible to measure. It’s not. #EdTechAfterDarkhttps://t.co/fbcLqeW99R
Oh so true! Unfortunately I think many of our students are made empty promises from many across the edu spectrum. Thankful for places like this to see the good that I wish for all students alive and oh so well! #EdTechAfterDark
Oh so true! Unfortunately I think many of our students are made empty promises from many across the edu spectrum. Thankful for places like this to see the good that I wish for all students alive and oh so well! #EdTechAfterDark
The Q begs question what does accountable mean? If I’m accountable to my spouse it means I feel responsibility/commitment to uphold my promises to him. Who has made promises to students in ed? That’s who is accountable. #EdTechAfterDark
Q2 Totally crashing your chat...but interesting question! Creativity=Higher Level Thinking, creativity allows Ss the.opportunity to apply what they've learned (standards) in a meaningful/authentic way. #EdTechAfterDark
A3: Tough question. I struggle so hard with this because you want your students to be successful on paper, but also in life. I haven’t found the balance yet, but am interested in hearing others’ thoughts. #edtechafterdark
A3: As a T w/ a state mandated end of course exam attached to it, there are many days I feel like "I'm just teaching a test" & not my actual content, depending on how much pressure there is for Ss to do well on the test. Content & skills > than a test score #edtechafterdark
A3. I have always been told if you can get students to master the standards, then they will pass the test. I don’t think it helps that a lot of Qs on the test in no way mirror what is happening in class. There needs to be some correlation. #EdTechAfterDark
A3: Why not think bigger than a test! What kind of task might accomplish multiple things at one time, be engaging and empower students to believe in themselves and their ability to exceed what any test might measure! #edtechafterdark
A3: It’s a real struggle. Don’t teach to the test, but you better pass the test. 🤷♀️ Still a constant battle. I guess the reality is, your teaching should be good enough to be better than the test #EdTechAfterDark
A3: I'm reading a very interesting article by Grant Wiggins which says we SHOULD teach to the test, but make sure our tests are asking students to actually think critically. It's called Teaching to the (Authentic) Test. Link here: https://t.co/7EK2pobFJb#edtechafterdark
A3: by teaching to the Ss using the standards! There are so many ways to prepare students for the tests that we have to give without taking the enjoyment out of their(or our) learning experience! We should focus on bringing relevance as well. #EdTechAfterDark
A3 Know the standards and learn to apply them to creative, and critical thinking tasks...standards help us to map out Ss learning...but we shouldn't allow ourselves to be limited by them. #EdTechAfterDark
It does get hard. I challenge myself to create opportunities that integrate multiple skills with priority number one being motivation for learning. #EdTechAfterDark
I wonder though if there is a distinction to be made between “feeling like you’re teaching to a test” and “intentionally teaching to the test.” The challenge is real. #EdTechAfterDark
When there’s a leader who has the courage to advocate for/provide cover for deep learning, knowing that in the long term, that mastery will pay dividends. But leaders at the highest level must be willing address political forces and cast vision of better way. #EdTechAfterDark
There is power in that, interpretation, a different lens, perspective. I have put this to work. I like scrabble as a way to reinforce and teach vocabulary..but that is not a traditional view. #EdTechAfterDark
I have had SO much success this year with Class Dojo. Remember I teach K so parents are VERY invested in their children...but with Dojo i can “text” parents, send daily pictures and notifications, give behavior points. It’s so easy! #edtechafterdark
Good point... I guess that's where academic vocabulary comes in...and test taking strategies can't be ignored (unfortunately). Testing is so contrary to real life! #EdTechAfterDark
A4. Use the tools that parents (mostly) are using themselves: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Find ways to let kids share their learning through those mediums. #stuvoice#EdTechAfterDark
One can almost empathize with the ATL teachers who got caught cheating on standardized tests. It's still not right, but when the focus is on the wrong thing... https://t.co/5X71Ssa8wo#edtechafterdark
I think it would fun to have a discussion of how to take standards and look at them from a creative lens. Also I find it so powerful to lay down timetables. Sometimes I feel like everything is a time clock leaving no time to “deal with learning.” #EdTechAfterDark
Yes, and then if you use materials supplied by your district & your kids do well, then they take a district test & don’t do well because of the way questions are worded...and then the state test is even more different... #EdTechAfterDark
A4 Class Dojo, and SeeSaw are 2 great options! Share photos, digital portfolios, messages, etc. Give parents a digital window into your classroom! #EdTechAfterDark
One thing @MrLeonard8 shared with me is that he gave his students the standards and they came up with their own accountability methods. Love that approach. #edtechafterdark
I think it would fun to have a discussion of how to take standards and look at them from a creative lens. Also I find it so powerful to lay down timetables. Sometimes I feel like everything is a time clock leaving no time to “deal with learning.” #EdTechAfterDark
A4: There are so many distractions these days. My first thought is (why do we have to compete) but I know that for so many reasons, limitations exist. I believe in multiple connections and contact. #EdTechAfterDark
A4.5: Reinforce their role and how much their involvement means to the success of the overall mission. Share some positive praise about their child; they will definitely be listening to that! #EdTechAfterDark
Vicious cycle because then Ss become adversaries in the “learning” process. TTTT erodes trust. How can I trust you if you’re not really here to teach me, just train me into doing test tricks. No relevance. No connection. #EdTechAfterDark
A4 Just as we need to build relationships w Ss, we need to build them w Ps. There's great apps available, but let's not forget a good ole car line convo & old school tech of phone convos and home visits 😁 perhaps, home visits are where we can help Ps w the apps #edtechafterdark
Well let us refocus. I think we will lose “true education” entirely if it’s all just one big test. My life is a minefield of learning. #EdTechAfterDark
I always had 100% connected when using @ClassDojo-Parents loved the ease of it! I love the ability for students to send pics of their work during the day now too! It gives the parents something to chat about when they get the “school was fine” answers #EdTechAfterDark
Somehow as a society, we've gotten to the point of "the only way to evaluate educators is w/ a test" but do we do that with professions? There needs to be a change in the overall mindset. #edtechafterdark
We need to have kids be successful on test, yet be successful in the real world as well. I feel that this picture explains the direction that we could head if we don't find the right balance. #EdTechAfterDark
A4 Do things differently so they are intrigued and want to know what is happening in your classroom! Just different enough to reel them in! #edtechafterdark
So agree. And I think we have to interrogate some of our own beliefs about parents and arrest the patterns of language we use to imply we don’t believe (some) parents care about their Ss or value edu. #EdTechAfterDark
The churn for the learn(ing) 🤪 my favorite days in classrooms have always been when students are creating, exploring, etc. I wish there were more opportunities within teaching to plan these types of experiences for Ss with teams, grades, content, etc. #EdTechAfterDark
A5. That is tough! I think we are somewhat accountable, and that being said, students are also accountable. If you learned something just well enough to pass the test & then promptly forgot it, much of the responsibility is yours. It is your education after all. #EdTechAfterDark
A5: In my personal experience my school did not take any accountability for my success after graduation. I struggled with an English course in undergrad, sent a paper to a previous T to proofread...no response. #edtechafterdark
A5a Wow...interesting question. Yes school is accountable to some extent for Ss success after graduation. We need to prepare Ss to create, think critically, collaborate...and show empathy and compassion...no test or text book can do that... #EdTechAfterDark
A5: I know at the HS level we track our students for a year (or 2) post-graduation. Whenever I see former students, I want them to say I prepared them for the next level. #edtechafterdark
That is where there needs to be more cross community and cross sector dialogue. So true that other professions don’t have that measure. But they do have others. Such as profit margins. Sales goals. And people lose their jobs over not meeting those persistently. #EdTechAfterDark
A4 is definitely meeting parents where they are to connect. Social media, parent nights, etc. I also think it would be powerful to meet them at home, work, a coffee shop to chat in a place that allows them the ability to meet when schedules don’t work out #edtechafterdark
This is year 19 and year 14-ish with an end of course, and I have no true solution either. I just know over the past 3-5 yrs, I've felt more pressure for my students to be successful on a "test" #edtechafterdark
A5b Does length of time in school dictate depth of knowledge? Depends on the school, depends on the teacher...if school is the place where creativity comes to die, then there's no fertile soil for deep rooted knowledge to grow. #EdTechAfterDark
A4 is definitely meeting parents where they are to connect. Social media, parent nights, etc. I also think it would be powerful to meet them at home, work, a coffee shop to chat in a place that allows them the ability to meet when schedules don’t work out #edtechafterdark
A5: With the dependence on advanced and college degrees as a ticket to a career, I think that the certificate issuing institutions get the credit from the student, while all the front loading in k12 gets forgotten--even vocational work! #edtechafterdark
So agree. And I think we have to interrogate some of our own beliefs about parents and arrest the patterns of language we use to imply we don’t believe (some) parents care about their Ss or value edu. #EdTechAfterDark
I think problem is we are using wrong paradigm. There is not a good analog bw business of edu and for profit biz in terms of measures. Just bc some aspects of business practice work for edu doesn’t mean model works wholesale. #EdTechAfterDark
A5: The biggest issue in this undertaking is defining what “success” looks like in this space. I once wrote a blog post begging the question if a student graduating and moving to Nashville to pursue a dream of making music would be considered a “success”? #edtechafterdark
Don't give up on social media and other tech platforms. It's a chronicle of their children's everyday experience, and even if their parents don't follow along right away, many love it once they discover it. It's also a valuable chronicle for anyone in school. #EdTechAfterDark A4
I also know I don't blame my dentist for a cavity because I ate too many sweets or didn't follow protocol. Why do I get blamed if 16-17 year olds don't study or do their work to be prepared for my class? When do we shift the accountability? #edtechafterdark
#edtechafterdark hear hear. I've never felt comfortable with the business/school comparison. We do that with politics too. The main goal is not monetary gain.
In reply to
@hazlebussey, @dene_gainey, @jk_coffee
Me too! Some of the best chats and builds such great relationships! I was chatting with previous parents/Ss this evening at soccer practice and truly enjoyed my time there(as hot and humid as this FL weather was) #edtechafterdark
Last few years I've had 90+% pass rate, but this is a new year and a new schedule (moved from a traditional schedule to 4x4 block) and I'm a ball of stress #edtechafterdark
Q6 Keep talking about your passions and hopes, others will eventually come with you. Surround yourself (even if it’s your PLN around the world) with people that will be there for you, support you and cheer you on. #edtechafterdark
A6: I'm thinking about the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle... The tool to measure the phenomena affects that which is measured. When there is an artificial pressure to "count" the motivation becomes artificial and loses authenticity. #edtechafterdark
A6 lead by example, know the standards, and academic vocabulary...apply them in meaningful ways, share your ideas and strategies with other teachers. Let the data show your success. #EdTechAfterDark
A6. Start at the grassroots level & educate parents & local leaders about what really matters for our kids. Then advocate that they put pressure on state leaders who are the ones who mandate much of this nonsense. #EdTechAfterDark
Advocacy w policy makers and those who influence them. Invite policy makers into schools, not for dog and ponies but to shadow a T or S. Convene stakeholders to ID those things they most care about. Get cover to measure only those. #EdTechAfterDarkhttps://t.co/mpDcJw84eS
A5: The biggest issue in this undertaking is defining what “success” looks like in this space. I once wrote a blog post begging the question if a student graduating and moving to Nashville to pursue a dream of making music would be considered a “success”? #edtechafterdark
