SPS Digital Learning Hour

This week we continue our dive into Blended Learning looking at a lot of the benefits of this educational model (we both love it), on ways on how it saves trees (less paper). Our Interview of the Week is with Aimee Baron over at Rebecca Johnson. For those of you who have never worked in a Kindergarten classroom, this is a must listen and she describes what it is like to incorporate authentic learn...

This week's podcast begins our deep dive into Blended Learning and Mike goes off on the deep end at one point. (He needs to stop watching Robot movies) Our discussion is one that will go over the next three podcasts so that you are able to digest it in small bites. We also interview Roni Gold from Rebecca Johnson who has a lot of great insights. Articles: https://thejournal.com/articles/2017/01/11...

For this week's episode, we delve into an interesting collaboration between Khan Academy and Pixar that might just give your math lessons a little extra umph and a lot more fun. Plus, it's real-world applications that you might be interested in harnessing. We also interview Ron Roux from Kiley and all of the great things they are doing with technology! Question of the Month: Tells us some of the w...

We continue our conversation about SAMR and some of the many things that make us excited. We also continue our conversation with Dan Manseau of Boland Elementary School. Let us know your questions about SAMR on Yammer and we can hopefully answer them! The Question of the Month: In light of the articles from the last few weeks that we have been discussed with the Distracted Classroom, What do you d...

That's right this week is the first in a two part episode where Suzanne and Mike discuss the SAMR model, with some practical tips and the first part of Mike's interview with Dan Manseau of Boland Elementary. Come and listen to someone who has been in the district for awhile and has seen everything (Mimeograph anyone). Let us know your questions about SAMR on Yammer and we can hopefully answer them...

For this week's episode, we delve deeper into the Distracted Classroom and Mike's Minority Report theory (it's weird) and we look at programming games to teach coding. All the links will be below! The question of the Month: In light of the articles from the last two weeks that we have been discussed with the Distracted Classroom, What do you do to keep your classroom engaged? What teaching strateg...

This week Suzanne and I delve into classroom distractions, how technology can make your readers better and a fantastic interview with Art/Chorus Teacher Carmen Oyola Callender. We also are keeping you up to date with all of the tech news in the district! This week's question of the week: Do you allow/use digital notetaking strategies in your class? Let us through Yammer, Twitter or even snail mail...

This week we add a new cast member, discuss the book Wonder and some resources for it and our interview of the week is with Sheila Slawiak of Forest Park Middle School! This week's question of the week: Do you allow/use digital notetaking strategies in your class? Let us through Yammer, Twitter or even snail mail! Twitter: MikeSPSDLA SuzanneSPSDLA Resources: http://www.literacyshedblog.com/blog/th...

This week's episode features discussions on how to evaluate the quality of online information, how to help introverts in the classroom and a great discussion Erin O'Brien from Kensington International School! Articles: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/evaluating-quality-of-online-info-julie-coiro https://sites.google.com/site/tiponlinethinkaloudlessons/ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/learning/les...

We start Season 2 off with a bang. Have you ever thought about digital note taking, do you even know what that means? Well listen in and we have an excellent interview with Lisa Bakowski, Principal of Boland Elementary School. She takes us back in history with her knowledge of technology through the last 20+ years. Articles: Digital Note Taking Strategies That Deepen Student Thinking: https://ww2....

It's been a great summer, come and find out all the new tools and updates that have happened while you were out!

For our season finale, we interview Paul Foster, CIO and the boss of our department. He answers all the questions we have about the past, present and future. Do you want to know the process for choosing Brightspace or what is daughter thinks about all the tech? Then take a listen! Suzanne and Mike also talk about a different way to approach Game-Based Learning and a few tech tools that would be gr...

Today we have a special episode just for our listeners out there. Earlier this year we interviewed Karen Hall and today we are bringing it to you. Hear how she evolved from not using technology to be a leader in her school.

This week we delve into Competency-Based Education and the confusing nature of it, you leave with more questions than answers, what Digital Dementia is and ways you can fight it. This week we interviewed Nicole Ouellette, a first-year teacher at I.O.E. and her experiences using Technology. Links for this week: http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/overuse-of-devices-and-digital-dementia htt...

This week Mike and Suzanne tackle Game-Based Learning, which Mike is a super fan of and they look at characteristics of a 21st Educator and what that looks like in this world. Mike also had the opportunity to interview Melissa Zeitz from Liberty Elementary about all things technology including Scratch, Makey-Makey boards and more! Articles this week: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-05-30-how-gam...

This week Mike and Suzanne discuss the purpose of E-Portfolios, a debate on how algorithms and computer science plays into creating personalized learning, and our interview of the week with staff from Boland Elementary! This week's links: https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/03/22/what-will-digital-portfolios-mean-for-college-bound-students/ http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2017/03/29/curriculum-p...

This week Suzanne and Mike talk about the latest updates to Brightspace, one of Mike's favorite projects from when he was a teacher and the profound impact it had on his students. We also discussed what Blended Learning looks like even in a Kindergarten Classroom and our interview with Amanda Gonzalez from Sci-Tech about her time in the district using technology. Articles: https://www.youtube.com/...

This week Suzanne and Mike take a deep dive into Design Thinking, Suzanne presents us with a top 10 EdTech podcasts, Mike gets a little too excited about one of the Podcasts. Plus we interviewed a couple of teachers from IOE about their experience at the Tech Symposium and how they have applied the things they learned into their classroom. Articles: http://www.fusionyearbooks.com/blog/educational-...

For this week's episode we venture off our path and do a brief recap of the last six weeks, since we have only been available for two weeks. We encourage our listeners to go back and check out the prior 6 podcasts. We will be back next week with a regularly scheduled podcast. Leave us a review on Spreaker or Itunes and we will see you next week!

This week Mike and Suzanne dive into some of the underpinnings of modern learning, a study comparing ebooks and tactical books, and an interview with Wendi DeForest. Links from the Show: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/11/09/do-digital-natives-prefer-paper-books-to.html https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/04/26/the-essential-underpinnings-of-shifting-to-modern-learning/ https://modernlearne...

In this week's episode, we discuss Girls in Technolgy, Ted Tech Talks (say that one five times fast!), and our interview of the week with Principal Mark McCann. This Week's Hot Takes: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-08/are-girls-learning-the-computer-skills-they-need/8334388 http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2016/05/naep_engineering_test_embargoe.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...

In this week's episode we discussed 21st Century Skills that all students and people really need, How to have a safe classroom for Introverts and our interview this week was with Sean Fitzgerald Systems Engineer from OITA Introvert Article: https://marshallmemo.com/issue.php? I=1dcf1b7f32d745269dde38f47c849044#One 21st Century Skills: https://www.edutopia.org/article/skills-colleges-employers-look...

This week we dive into the SAMR model and talk with Erin O'Brien, Sara Wright & Katie Barthelette about their presentation at the Imagine - WeLearn Together ... Technology Symposium and using technology in the classroom. SAMR Articles: http://www.emergingedtech.com/2015/04/examples-of-transforming-lessons-through-samr/ https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/introduction-to-the-samr-model https://...

In this episode, we talk more about the Growth Mindset, students critiquing each other and a great interview with Denise Cardona and her students. Mindset Shifts http://trustedk12.com/whats-next-education-3-big-mindset-shifts/ Students Critiquing Each Other https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2017/01/10/how-students-critiquing-one-anothers-work-raises-the-quality-bar/

Welcome to our inaugural podcast featuring Mike Thomas & Suzanne Zarges. In this episode, you'll hear about the Growth Mindset and your hear an interview we had with Digital Learning Analyst Brendan Reed discussion this year MCAS's. Growth Mindset https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2016/12/16/carol-dweck-explains-the-false-growth-mindset-that-worries-her/ https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/11/16/grow...