Feedly & Prismatic: Alternatives to Google Reader

By now we all know Google Reader is shutting down.  This news prompted me to search for a replacement for all my news feeds.  I didn't have to wait long for suggestions with Twitter exploding with suggestions from people everywhere.  The general consensus seemed to be Feedly was the best alternative.

With this in mind, I checked into Feedly.  Overall, it was very easy to transfer my Google Reader feeds into Feedly.  Designwise, Feedly is looks much like Google Reader, but it also adds a snapshot of the feed (see below).

Like most Feed Readers, Feedly also has an iOS app (I don't have an Android so I'm not sure if there's an Android app).  The Feedly app puts Google Reader to shame.  For each feed, it will show you all of your unread feeds.  By doing a large left swipe across the screen you can easily mark them all as read.  If you swipe down, you can access the next page of articles (if there were more than what fits on the screen).  Feedly also offers a Save for Later option so I can go back and read the post later.  It's nice to have this all in one app.  We'll see if I choose to drop Pocket and start using Feedly.

Upon Tweeting that I was going to use Feedly, I received a reply from the Prismatic team asking me to give Prismatic a try.  Logging in and transferring my Google Reader feeds was simple enough, but Prismatic also assumed I wanted other items of interest such as assessment, textbooks, and other educational topics that might have something to do with what I'm following.  All it did was cause me more work to uncheck feeds I wasn't really interested in.  My other issue with Prismatic is that it doesn't show me my feeds on the main login screen.  I'm immediately shown the top news for some of the suggestions Prismatic made.  There is a Prismatic iOS app, but I didn't even bother downloading it because of the frustration I experienced with the web page.  For me, Prismatic has too many bells and whistles.  Sometimes simplicity is good enough.

I'm sure you've figured out by now that given these two choices, I'm going to go with Feedly.  For me, it's clearly the better option, particularly with the iPad app.  Try them both and and judge for yourself.  And remember, like Rushton Hurley said at the ISTE Leadership Forum, "It's okay to not like a tool."

Teacher Tech Knowledge: A Need for More PD or Are We Making Excuses?

I recently had this Twitter conversation while attending the annual KySTE Conference in Louisville.

JA: Some teachers do not understand technology terms, need to help them like we guide our students,make it relevant,#kyste2013 teach the teacher

Me: lack of teacher tech knowledge is failure of admins. Teacher standard 6 has been in place for years.

JA: I disagree. Yes, is standard, but tech is only one piece. Admins have little PD time to spread out on important topics 

ME: tech has been on teacher growth plans for 15+ years. Tech integration HAS to be a priority 4 21st C learners

JA: agree, but quality#edtech use is a fast-moving target for (many not all) teachers who learned typing on a typewriter.

For background, Kentucky Teacher Standard 6 states the following: 

STANDARD 6:  THE TEACHER DEMONSTRATES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TECHNOLOGY

The teacher uses technology to support instruction; access and manipulate data; enhance professional growth and productivity; communicate and collaborate with colleagues, parents, and the community; and conduct research.

This standard has been around in one form or another since I started teaching 17 years ago, and I'm quite certain every other state now requires to have some level of technology proficiency.  Technology was prevalent while I was still a student at Thomas More College.

In my view, teachers should know technology terms by now.  Computers have been around and in schools for over 30 years.  I know for a fact that technology has been on teachers' professional growth plans since I started teaching 17 years ago.  If teachers haven't learned technology terms by now, I still insist this is failure on the part of the administration not only in schools, but also in school districts, to properly monitor and assess teacher growth plans.  How would parents react if we told them we didn't have time to teach their students social studies, science, or music because reading and math were more important?  

Students being born today are likely to live to see the 22nd Century, and we're still having conversations about 21st Century skills and how we're going to teach them.  We're now 13 years into the 21st Century and we're still talking about integrating 21st Century skills?  We're dealing with 21st Century, connected, mobile kids.  If we aren't providing them with a quality 21st Century education, then we are failing them.

With the Common Core Standards in place in 45 states, and with technology being integrated into the Common Core, it is no longer acceptable to push technology professional development off for teachers, nor is it okay for teachers to continually put it on their growth plan and make no progress.  Teachers and schools should be at a point where technology should be an almost invisible tool in the classroom.  For the sake of our students and future leaders, it MUST happen now!

Complicating this are the Teacher Preparation Programs which are simply not doing enough to produce technology proficient teachers.  Our new teachers should be able to step into a classroom knowing how to use products like Office, tablet devices, and Web 2.0 tools like Prezi, Popplet, and Live Binders.  It's time for the Colleges and Universities to step it up and produce a technology proficient teacher.

Let's quit making excuses and make it happen.  And if you're a state or federal Congressman, or a Governor or even President of the United States, it's time to quit bickering, quit posturing, and give educators and kids the technology tools they need to make true 21st Century learning happen.  Let's all DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR KIDS!

CoSN 2013 & NSBA 20 to Watch Reflections

I am truly honored to have been selected as one of the National School Board Association's 20 to Watch this year.  It is truly humbling to have my work recognized by my peers and past 20 to Watch recipients.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank NSBA for recognizing not only me, but the other 19 outstanding recipients, most of whom I met while at the CoSN Conference in San Diego.  I would also like to thank CoSN for providing us with an opportunity to participate in their conference.  Most importantly, I would like to thank TechSmith for providing us with not only a wonderful meal while in San Diego, but a very generous software scholarship that I can't wait to start using with some of my teachers.

Since returning from San Diego, I've had plenty of time to reflect on how far I've come and where the conversation needs to go.  I will be discussing these reflections in future blog posts, not only to share what I learned, but to also spur a conversation about the future of education and technology's role in education.  I've told some folks around here I've come back with a new attitude and a clearer sense of purpose and directions, and with that will come more push-back on programs and software that need to be improved.

I've also come back with plenty of ideas to improve my Ed On Tech "brand".  I'm now working on setting up and hosting my first #edontech Twitter chat (you can follow me at @KCSDtisEB), working on a Google+ page as well as an EdOnTech Google Hangout, and several other ideas.  I'll be picking the brains of my fellow 20 to Watch educators, whose skills and knowledge are a great complement to mine.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas for improving education through technology.

Popplet: A Place For Your Ideas

If you've not heard of or experienced Popplet, Popplet is a free mind-mapping web tool.  It's also one of the simplest mind-mapping tools to use.  You simply start with name your topic, select your color, and then create Popples around it that you can connect any way you want to.  It couldn't be any easier than that!  Popplets can also be shared to create collaborative mind maps, sent to Twitter, and shared on Facebook.  Have an IOS device?  There's even a Popplet app.

Popplet has many uses in the classroom with students, but at the district level, I use Popplet to help me plan out the Professional Development webinars and face-to-face sessions I provide.  It's also been used to help design this blog, my web page, my forthcoming wiki and Glossi.

See what Popplet is all about and claim your free account at popplet.com.  Feel free to share one of your popplets with me!  I'm always happy to connect with colleagues.