Keynote Take-A-Ways

As previously stated, many of these early postings are likely to be drawn from the technology conference the Accomack ITRTs attended in April. This posting falls in to that category.

Looking over my notes from the keynote address by Dr. Pamela Moran, Superintendent of Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) I’ve decided just to make note of a few of my “take-a-ways” from this address.

She stated that there is an unfortunate tendency for schools to have “test prep curriculums”. On that subject she quoted Albert Einstein as saying “Not everything that counts can be counted. Not everything that can be counted counts.” She went on to ask; “What if ‘Attention’ didn’t mean gaze?”

Dr. Moran pointed out that college drop outs, are, for the most part, not content incompetent, but process incompetent. Employers looking for employees are looking for thinkers, team workers, people with good work ethics and good citizens—qualities not necessarily found in students who have only been taught to select the correct choice. We need to produce students who are “process competent.”

She told the story of a teacher who gave an economically disadvantaged child a cell phone. The student filled out here FASFA form, collge admission applications, and scholarship applications using that phone. Yet, she noted, we treat cell phones as if they are gum.

Doctor Moran went on to compare technology to a playground. When children are small, she noted, we go to the playground with them, supervise them carefully, teach them to go down the slide (not up,) and other important playground protocols. However, too often parents and achers just turn kids loose on the technology playground, rather than accompanying them into this big world.

She offered multiple evidences of how pro-technolgy Albemarle Count y Schools are; they’ve built a cell tower, they have embraced BYOT (bring your own technology) and have student ip addresses registered with the school, and on their county web page they invite you to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.

I’m finding the process of reviewing my notes and storing important observations, points, links, and other resources to be a gratifying experience, and, if someone out there on the cyber playground can benefit as well, that is even more gratifying.
Have a nice afternoon.
Larry