As a SmartBoard district, we have many teachers using SmartBoards, Airliners, and, of course, Notebook software. So as a Notebook user, I am very excited about the new version 10 that has recently been released. It has many great new features which I will be sharing in later posts. However, as the primary trainer for users of Notebook software, this transition raises many questions about the value of updates. Many of our users are new to Smart Notebook software. I have trained about 100 people this year alone. Now I need to go back to them and tell them that this great tool I showed them is about to look quite different. To a third of them, this will be welcome news. They want the updates. They want the new features. They will pick it up quickly. To a second third, this will raise trepidation. Just when they are getting the hang of it, they go and change it. They will require a fair amount of support to bring them up to the same level of comfort with the new version. That leaves the re
Interesting...
ReplyDeleteWhen some teachers talk about writing curriculum, they often focus on the "how", as opposed to the "what"! I think for curriculum directors, it may be just the opposite! ;-)
I thought your recent post on the debate over content vs. 21st Century skills ties in to this... They are not mutually exclusive!
The 21st Century skills show HOW the WHAT will be taught/learned!
Thanks for your comments Michael. I hadn't thought about it that way. I was thinking in terms of people using the "how" as an excuse to stop trying new things. For example, incorporating more Internet research into your course may be the what. Teachers might agree that this is an important skill to be taught in class. However, we often see moving to a new way of doing things as difficult so we use the "how" as a reason not to start doing more research.
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