Why my school uses Atomic Learning #43
#edtech #edchat #atomiclearning
I just got this email from Atomic Learning, which is weird because I was just talking about needing to connect technology with the new Common Core Standards last month with my teachers…
Many of the Common Core State Standards identify technology as a key component to achieve the objectives embedded within the standards.
At Atomic Learning, we know and share your passion for creating tech embedded classrooms. That’s why we developed the Atomic TechCore solution, a set of collaborative planning tools that assist school leaders in building and executing a solid Common Core implementation roadmap.
The Atomic TechCore solution includes:
- Planning tools for school leaders that call out standards with tech components
- Professional development to assist teachers in creating and aligning tech-empowered lessons
- Pre-built tech-empowered lesson plans for teachers to use in the classroom
- And more—all wrapped up in a single CCSS tool suite for your district.
Let us help you succeed in meeting Common Core requirements through tech integration. Request a demonstration of the Atomic TechCore solution today!
Address Tech Components of Common Core State Standards
#edtech
Atomic Learning announces the launch of Atomic TechCore, a suite of tools for school leaders to build their Common Core implementation roadmaps.
Atomic TechCore consists of a set of customizable planning and collaborative network tools that assist administrators in identifying the professional development and technology needed for their district to be successful in meeting the technology requirements embedded within Common Core standards, and in communicating the resulting findings and implementation plans to those impacted within the district.
The Atomic TechCore solution includes:
- Planning tool for school leaders
- PD and lesson plans for teachers
- Lesson assignments for students
For additional information and a free demonstration of the Atomic TechCore solution, contact them at this link.
- Brad Flickinger, Tech Teacher, Bethke Elementary School
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My Secret Formula for Edtech Success
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This past weekend I was in Charlotte, NC to work with a great group of teachers on integrating more technology into their lessons as part of some blended professional development I was doing for Atomic Learning. I was about half-way through the first half of the morning when a teacher asked me how I get students more interested in doing tech projects. It was then that I explained my secret formula for edtech lessons…
Curiousity –> Investigation –> Skills –> Success –> Passion
Let me explain…
Before I talk about technology lessons I will use this formula with a sport like basketball. Let’s say a student goes out one recess and sees other students having fun playing basketball, he is curious to see what all the fun is about. This curiousity leads to investigation, where the students looks into the sport of basketball and starts to formulate questions like, “How do I dribble?” “What’s the key?” “What’s a 3-pointer?” His investigation then leads to the desire to develop skills like dribbling, shooting, etc. So with the help of more experienced players and a coach he starts to develop these skills and if he gets good enough and sticks with it long enought to get over the learning curve he might hopefully experience success. With more and more experience his success increases and soon he has apassion for the sport. If he was to leave this formula anytime before success, he might never get to the level of passion.
Now take the story from above and plug in any ol’ tech project like; podcasting, video production, blogging, etc.
First your lesson needs to peek their natural desire of curiousity.
Then you must make available all of the resources for their investigation.
You must also coach them through the skills they will need to do this edtech project.
Keep pushing so that they experience success and maybe, if you’re lucky, they’ll get the passion for it. And isn’t that why we became educators?
Follow this formula and you will have great success with your edtech projects.
- Brad Flickinger, Tech Teacher, Bethke Elementary School
Read MoreBlended Professional Development
#edtech #edchat #elearning
I write this post as I am stuck in the airport. Actually, I am only 45 miles from my home here in Northern Colorado, but I am trying to fly to Seattle this evening to do some blended professional development tomorrow with the Northshore school district. My flight got delayed nearly three hours, so here I sit.
In the past I have called it Blended Learning, but that term is being used so much with regards to teaching young students, that I prefer the term “Blended Professional Development.”
Anyone who has been in education for longer than a month knows about “PD.” It is what us teachers do to get better — or to get tortured — depending on how you approach it. By adding the word “blended” to the front of it I believe it gets much better.
Image via Wikipedia
The course I am teaching in Seattle (if I can make it there) is all about integrating 21st Century Skills into lessons and it is being offered by my pals over at Atomic Learning. Two weeks ago the teachers in Seattle got their assignment and access to the online component of the course. The teachers have been learning from these online lessons and when we get together tomorrow we will all be on the same page, which means we can get right down to work without having to spend a lot of time on instruction. This is so much better that the “old” way of doing PD.
Gotta go… I think I might be finally boarding.
Implementing Atomic Learning: Day 1 – #edtech
Last week I got the email back from Atomic Learning saying that all of my teachers have been added to their database. It took them less than 24 hours from when I sent in my list of teachers and email addresses to being up and running. They said it might take three days, so I love it when a company gets things done quicker than expected.
Tom, my rep with Atomic Learning, sent me an email that outlined how to get things started with my teachers. I had to put all of this aside for a week while I got through the rush of back to school, but now my classes have starting to flow smoothly so I can shift my focus back to Atomic Learning.
So the first thing I did this afternoon after I logged in was to go to the Support section and then to Getting Started. I found toturials and training on how to implement Atomic Learning in my school. Tom did a good job with his training so I sailed through the video tutorials.
The next thing I did was print out the 21st Century Skills Professional Develpment Worksheet. It is a simple one page worksheet that took me less than 5 minutes to fill out. I probably could have breezed through the worksheet in 90 seconds, but I want to do this right, so I spend a little time on each question to makes sure that I knew where I wanted all of this to go. The worksheet asked questions like: “Who will participate in the program?”
Next up; a poster to promote using Atomic Learning. I printed up a bunch of their ready-made full-color posters and filled in blanks with my school’s information. I am planning on putting one of these in each teacher’s mailbox on Monday.
The final thing that I did today was to open on of their sample emails to introduce Atomic Learning to teachers. I copied it and I am planning on emailing it to every teacher this Monday morning. I decided that Friday afternoon is not a good time to introduce and new idea to tired teachers.
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