Comments on: Is the Public Ready for Educational Change? http://preilly.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/is-the-public-ready-for-educational-change/ Learning is a journey of the mind, the body, and the heart. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:06:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: randasey http://preilly.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/is-the-public-ready-for-educational-change/#comment-10241 randasey Sat, 31 May 2008 08:04:30 +0000 http://preilly.wordpress.com/?p=325#comment-10241 While I think that it is great that the public can identify what will keep the highly qualified teachers doing the job, they fail to give solutions to this problem. More often then not it is easy to find the problem the hard part comes from trying to find the solution. I fully agree that implementing technology into the classroom is greatly needed, but as was mentioned extremely hard to fund. Studies have shown that those student's with more access to technology do perform better. This being said, I feel that our responsibility as a society is to find a way to make this a reality. While I think that it is great that the public can identify what will keep the highly qualified teachers doing the job, they fail to give solutions to this problem. More often then not it is easy to find the problem the hard part comes from trying to find the solution.

I fully agree that implementing technology into the classroom is greatly needed, but as was mentioned extremely hard to fund. Studies have shown that those student’s with more access to technology do perform better. This being said, I feel that our responsibility as a society is to find a way to make this a reality.

]]> By: Kristi Mueller http://preilly.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/is-the-public-ready-for-educational-change/#comment-10156 Kristi Mueller Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:33:45 +0000 http://preilly.wordpress.com/?p=325#comment-10156 Dear Pete, After reading this post, I think you might be interested in the work we are doing. Please participate if you can... We are a team of graduate students studying innovation and change at the University of Minnesota who are researching how much influence teachers do, or do not have, with regard to decisions concerning teaching, learning, curriculum, assessment, and overall public education innovation. We are studying "forums" such as blogs, where people gather to share values. For a variety of reasons, we have been unable to find an easy conduit to initiate a discussion with teachers. As a result, we have turned to blogs, such as your own - an innovation in itself - to attempt to engage you in dialog. We have set up The Education Innovation Blog, http://blog.lib.umn.edu/joh02855/innovationeducation as a place where we hope to gather your stories, thoughts and opinions on innovation and creativity in education - both what would benefit you as a teacher and what would benefit your students. The blog includes a link to a 10-minute survey that we have developed. We hope this survey will serve as a starting point for discussions. We would very much appreciate your taking the survey and sharing this request with as many of your colleagues as possible. If you find this survey/blog interesting, please post it on your blog so other teachers can see it. ALL SURVEY RESPONSES WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL! The survey will close as of April 30th, however the blog will remain active and results and discussion of this project will be posted there. Your postings to the blog will be public. If you prefer to remain anonymous, please post them to our e-mail address, 4educationinnovation@gmail.com, we will strip them of identifying information and post your remarks anonymously. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at 4educationinnovation@gmail.com. Thank you, we hope you will choose to participate and assist us in our research! Ben Cashen, Mike Fink, Kristi Mueller, Jen Trochinski, Sarah Waldemar, Wendy Wustenberg, Kun Yang Dear Pete,

After reading this post, I think you might be interested in the work we are doing. Please participate if you can…

We are a team of graduate students studying innovation and change at the University of Minnesota who are researching how much influence teachers do, or do not have, with regard to decisions concerning teaching, learning, curriculum, assessment, and overall public education innovation. We are studying “forums” such as blogs, where people gather to share values. For a variety of reasons, we have been unable to find an easy conduit to initiate a discussion with teachers. As a result, we have turned to blogs, such as your own - an innovation in itself - to attempt to engage you in dialog.

We have set up The Education Innovation Blog, http://blog.lib.umn.edu/joh02855/innovationeducation as a place where we hope to gather your stories, thoughts and opinions on innovation and creativity in education - both what would benefit you as a teacher and what would benefit your students. The blog includes a link to a 10-minute survey that we have developed. We hope this survey will serve as a starting point for discussions. We would very much appreciate your taking the survey and sharing this request with as many of your colleagues as possible. If you find this survey/blog interesting, please post it on your blog so other teachers can see it. ALL SURVEY RESPONSES WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL! The survey will close as of April 30th, however the blog will remain active and results and discussion of this project will be posted there.

Your postings to the blog will be public. If you prefer to remain anonymous, please post them to our e-mail address, 4educationinnovation@gmail.com, we will strip them of identifying information and post your remarks anonymously.
If you have any questions, please e-mail us at 4educationinnovation@gmail.com. Thank you, we hope you will choose to participate and assist us in our research!

Ben Cashen, Mike Fink, Kristi Mueller, Jen Trochinski, Sarah Waldemar, Wendy Wustenberg, Kun Yang

]]> By: Julie D http://preilly.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/is-the-public-ready-for-educational-change/#comment-10144 Julie D Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:26:47 +0000 http://preilly.wordpress.com/?p=325#comment-10144 I may be missing something, but, as an educator myself, I feel like an alternative to the current education system might be a good thing. This is not a negative reflection on teachers. I feel that most of the problems with the education system spring from home issues, and that we need a serious community effort to address these issues if we are to be successful in education. I also don't view financial incentives for teachers based on performance as a good thing. In theory it's a good idea, but I don't see how we would effectively measure performance. We don't have the manpower to observe teachers, and even if we did, I think this would put undue pressure on teachers. We can't judge teachers based on student performance for obvious reasons. I may be missing something, but, as an educator myself, I feel like an alternative to the current education system might be a good thing. This is not a negative reflection on teachers. I feel that most of the problems with the education system spring from home issues, and that we need a serious community effort to address these issues if we are to be successful in education.

I also don’t view financial incentives for teachers based on performance as a good thing. In theory it’s a good idea, but I don’t see how we would effectively measure performance. We don’t have the manpower to observe teachers, and even if we did, I think this would put undue pressure on teachers. We can’t judge teachers based on student performance for obvious reasons.

]]> By: Brianna205 http://preilly.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/is-the-public-ready-for-educational-change/#comment-10126 Brianna205 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 22:51:59 +0000 http://preilly.wordpress.com/?p=325#comment-10126 I agree with the public that the lack of funding for technology in schools is the problem. We are constantly saying how great technology is and how it should be used in the classroom, but no one can pay for it. In my school we had great technology and up to date computer labs but the system was constantly down, so students were often unable to use the technology anyway. I think the best way we can have updated and working technology in the classroom is to actively get the public and students involved. If other people can see how important it is to the students educations maybe things will start to change. Brianna205 I agree with the public that the lack of funding for technology in schools is the problem. We are constantly saying how great technology is and how it should be used in the classroom, but no one can pay for it. In my school we had great technology and up to date computer labs but the system was constantly down, so students were often unable to use the technology anyway. I think the best way we can have updated and working technology in the classroom is to actively get the public and students involved. If other people can see how important it is to the students educations maybe things will start to change.

Brianna205

]]> By: Pete Reilly http://preilly.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/is-the-public-ready-for-educational-change/#comment-10119 Pete Reilly Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:16:45 +0000 http://preilly.wordpress.com/?p=325#comment-10119 John, I'm glad you are excited. We'll need that energy to make the changes that are needed. Your questions are good ones and I think one of the problems we have as educators is that there is very little consensus on the answers. What I see in the future is the need for much more student empowerment and ownership of schools, as well as their own learning. pete John,
I’m glad you are excited. We’ll need that energy to make the changes that are needed.

Your questions are good ones and I think one of the problems we have as educators is that there is very little consensus on the answers.

What I see in the future is the need for much more student empowerment and ownership of schools, as well as their own learning.

pete

]]> By: John Franke http://preilly.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/is-the-public-ready-for-educational-change/#comment-10116 John Franke Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:06:27 +0000 http://preilly.wordpress.com/?p=325#comment-10116 I too am excited by this report and agree that it is time for leaders to step forward to create a narrative, as you call it. Leaders, in the classrooms and administrative offices need to ask themselves a handful of questions which I place here and on are cross referenced on my blog, including but of course not limited to: Reform rather than a new alternative? Have we not been reforming already? What areas are in the need of the most in radical reformation? Is it whole sale reformation? A “one size fits all” situation, where everyone changes the same things regardless of the school and communities needs? Are will yet willing to answer the question we often ask ourselves “How can we truly educate and develop the WHOLE child? I enjoy this conversation. Thank you, John Franke I too am excited by this report and agree that it is time for leaders to step forward to create a narrative, as you call it. Leaders, in the classrooms and administrative offices need to ask themselves a handful of questions which I place here and on are cross referenced on my blog, including but of course not limited to:
Reform rather than a new alternative?
Have we not been reforming already?
What areas are in the need of the most in radical reformation?
Is it whole sale reformation? A “one size fits all” situation, where everyone changes the same things regardless of the school and communities needs?
Are will yet willing to answer the question we often ask ourselves “How can we truly educate and develop the WHOLE child?
I enjoy this conversation.
Thank you,
John Franke

]]>