This Cornell University Prof not only needs PD for instructional delivery, but also needs therapy for his anger management.  
     There is a higher education survey administered all over called the National Survey for Student Engagement (NSSE).  Higher Education institutions across the country administer this to collect feedback on the efficacy of instruction.  The organization also provides advice on pedagogy for the 21st Century learner.    If their students are not satisfied, they vote with their feet.  To combat student dissatisfaction and instructional decay, this survey keeps higher ed focused on student success. 
     Public schools don't have the same student attrition problem--yet.  By and large taxpayers send their kids to public schools hoping the instruction is good.  Little do parents know that the instruction is often lacking also.  Teachers are merely content conveyor belts creating budding bureaucrats who know how to complete papers. 
     Common Core standards will help focus instruction for authentic learning.  The School Library Systems in NY are ready to lend PD to districts on "How to Repackage Content for alignment with the Common Core Standards."   Throughout the CC document, the premise is on:*  Fostering authentic learning
*  Not focusing on the facts or content, but focusing on meaning and knowledge products.
*  What do you want the student to be able to do with the curriculum content? (Not just repeat)
*  21st Century, globally flat, collaborative world ... collaborative classroom. 

Does this professor below reflect your instructional style?

Cornell Professor Freaks Out Over Yawn - watch more funny videos

SLMS 2010 - Inquiry sites as requested at the GenY Students = GenY classroom breakout session

Here are a few of the great Inquiry sites that are out on the web. We have a growing number of local librarians who have embraced inquiry with gusto and are polishing their ability to transform hide 'n seek research assignments into true authentic learning experiences. Please call me, if you'd like to discuss how you too can transform your research project, into a 21st Century Model. There are great sites all over the web. These are just a few:
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State Education Department-- K-4 Elementary Science Curriculum-- See Living Environment and Introduction.
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/pub/elecoresci.pdf
Foundations -- National Science Foundation-- Inquiry -- K-5 classroom- What dos it Look Like?
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf99148/ch_10.htm
Foundations-- NSF-- Inquiry Process Steps
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf99148/ch_10.htm
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf99148/pdf/nsf99148.pd f
NCTM—Illuminations site—Math Inquiry
http://illuminations.nctm.org/
NASA GLOBE Project
http://viz.globe.gov/viz-bin/home.cgi?l=en&b=g&rg=n
VirtualInquiry.org - Inquiry Snapshots
http://virtualinquiry.com/cases/index.htm

National Woe...Where will the librarians go?

A college friend of mine just sent me a link to the Michigan equivalent of the New York Teacher magazine. Why? She was sharing an article entitled, Vanishing Act: what's happening to school librarians. (It's a large .pdf file, but worth reading. See hyperlink above)

Despite the national research which shows a direct correlation between healthy library programs and student achievement, districts are cutting costs by excessing their information professionals. This is akin to not going to the doctor because you can't afford the co-pay. Or, deciding you can't pay for gas for your car, but we'll keep the car in the driveway for others to use who may or may not know how to drive. Not being mandatory at the elementary level in NY, librarians are easy targets for schools who are short-sighted and more concerned with making ends meet or balancing their bottom line.

We are living in the information age, and we all know that this Millennial generation can access anything, but can't analyze or synthesize it. Information professionals are the ones who teach this Generation Me how toevaluate the info they've found to determine whether it's: Credible, Accurate, Reliable and Supported (CARS). Cybrarians act as a learning concierge to foster higher level thought and give students the opportunity to investigate their own questions, evaluate the answers found, and construct meaning of the data. Where else do they do that? Not sitting in all those classrooms preparing for state and national assessments--that's for sure.

Teachers are encouraged by librarians to create authentic learning research projects where students are stretched to find meaning and reach learning objectives at the same time. That's called Inquiry. That's called PBL, "Challenged Based Learning", or Activity Based Learning.

Visit your librarian today and ask him/her to help you create a unit of discovery, infused with information, and in support of your learning standards. Chances are you'll find someone who will point you to quality information resources, help create a unit with compelling essential questions, suggest some quality literature, and be excited to guide your students down a road of discovery. If they don't help you--then they may sincerely be cut and replaced by someone who can.

Cisco publicizes "new" mode for 21st Century Learning

Well thanks to CISCO, there's another term for Inquiry -- Education 3.0

MIT calls it Challenged Based Learning
Harvard calls it Activity Based Learning
AASL calls it Inquiry Based Learning and
Partnership for 21st Century Learning calls it PBL.

Although we seem to be fracturing the concept into many names, the concepts are all related to fostering higher level thought, deepen the learning experience, and create question-askers and life-long learners. We're all in the same game, marching toward the same goal. In the end, let's hope the students win the game.

One line particularly interesting was "technology isn't just layered on top of traditional processes. Instead, technology is woven seamlessly through all aspects of education...interconnecting all facets of school life, and truly revolutionizing the edication experience. If you're not part of the revolution, you might need to take up arms. " CISCO's mantra could sound like it was lifted right off the pages of ISTE, AASL, P-21.org or somewhere else: "Education 3.0 ...creates a transformational, hands-on learning environment that help motivate students to develop the skills and knowledge they'll need in the modern world: problem solving, critical thinking, innovation, business literacy, and collaboration."


Go CISCO. Go Cybrarian -- strut your stuff and create a lifelong learning environment! Here are some one-liners for fostering collaboration:

• Hey, I found a great new resource and I'd love to try it on a [science ] project.
• Wow, I'd love to build a wiki for your students. They could each have a page to post great quotes they found in their reading books.
• Can I experiment with your [class] [mythology] project using a blog?
• How can I help you create a 21st-Century project for this topic?
• Wow, you probably didn't notice, but these questions can all be answered by a simple question on Google. Can we brainstorm together to create some higher-level thought compelling Inquiry questions?
• It looks like you have already designed this unit. Would you mind if I add an optional web 2.o piece for student engagement? To see if all this web 2.0 hype is true?

http://www.cisco.com/go/education