Efficiency Tip - "When is Good"

Need to know the best time for a meeting so you get the highest attendance possible? Then check out “When is Good” at http://whenisgood.net.

Whenisgood.net is a powerful yet simple to use online tool to send out a calendar of dates to your group, have them indicate on a website when is good for them to meet, and then you can quickly analyze the results to pick the best date. There really isn’t a more efficient way to schedule a meeting and maximize attendance. Plus, it’s free!
The best way to get started is to watch the short video on their website http://whenisgood.net/Videos

There are two free ways to use the website. The first is to just simply create an event, color in the days or times that work for you, send out a link via email and copy down a secret code so you can access your event later. People respond, you type in your code and there you are – a visual calendar of “when is good”. The second way is to create an account where you can store multiple events and access them all at one time (rather than needing a separate code for each like the first method). This is the best option if you plan on using the service frequently. The power is in the analysis: click on a respondent’s name to see which days are good just for him or her, click on a day and see the names of the respondents who can make it, or you can simply choose the day with the most respondents.

However you use WhenisGood.net, you’ll be more efficient at scheduling meetings and events.

Art of Choosing - Sheena Lyengar

The concept of choice is a core component of what defines my approach to life. If I have a life motto, it is that life is a series of choices and consequences - that we are in control of our choices alone, nothing else. There have been a number of books (like Blink) that examine our ability to make choices and the subtle factors that influence our decision making. Recently someone reminded me of some psychological research done on how authority can influence, even control, the hardest choices we would have to make.

But something I hadn't thought about much was the idea that sometimes it might be better to have fewer choices or to have things decided for us in order to produce a more harmonious experience. The American view of choice is a culturally entrenched idea that almost defines America itself. In America, we believe that having more choices is better than having fewer choices and that the power to choose should be primarily in the hands of the individual (provided those choices don't impinge on the rights of others to choose).

This TED talk questions some of the assumptions we make about choice and considers some ideas when limited choice or no choice at all, might result in better outcomes.

Sheena Iyengar on the art of choosing | Video on TED.com

Google Apps & Online Voting

Use Google Apps for Education to conduct online voting for school groups and events.

Our school has Google Apps for Education. With that, each student has an email account that they can use along with Google Docs, Calendar, and Sites. Most of this works the same as a regular private Google Account - except for something I came across today.

We want to run elections "online" for Student Council & Class Officer, Homecoming Queen & Prom Court, etc. Google Forms has the potential to make this happen for free, especially the Google Forms within Google Apps for Education.

When you create a form in Google Docs using your Google Apps account, there is an options to require respondents to sign in with their personalize Google Apps account login:


By having each student log in, you can be sure that only HS students are completing the form and that each student only votes one time. And as with regular Google Forms, you can turn forms on and off at specific times, require specific questions to be completed, and view all of the results in a nice spreadsheet.

I haven't used this approach with Google Apps yet (I did with my personal Google Account). Once I get it up and running, I'll share more insight.

baiting the hook

From Dan Meyer's TEDxNY talk:

Indicators that you're teaching problem solving wrong:
1. Lack of initiative
2. Lack of perseverance
3. Lack of retention
4. Aversion to word problems
5. Eagerness for formula

TED talk: http://youtu.be/BlvKWEvKSi8



http://blog.mrmeyer.com/

Failure: The Secret to Success

I know nothing about racing, but this video captures the concept that we seem to be struggling with... failure leads to success when we choose to risk, when we push the limits. The theme of risk and failure applies to systems and to the individual.

Gravity and Levity: Five Things Schools Must Do To Avoid Extinction

These 5 ideas range from allowing use of iPods & cellphones to giving
teachers more power to get rid of other teachers. Interesting but in
need of some refinement.

http://gravityandlevity.blogspot.com/2009/03/five-things-schools-must-do-to-avoid.html

Sent from my iPhone

A Legacy of Excellence

There are people we meet, people we come to know, that inspire us through their commitment to excellence. Some organizations are able to design their entire culture around that simple concept... excellence in all endeavors, from personal to professional. You can feel it when you're around people like that; feel an energy, enthusiasm, optimism. They are people and organizations that not only respond well to challenges but more importantly seek out challenges in order to better themselves and those they serve. A commitment to excellence requires an ability to take risks - to risk failure, ridicule, and judgement. A commitment to excellence requires the wisdom to make the right choices - to choose long-term gains over short-term rewards.

Questions:

What tangible steps need to be taken to move a group towards a legacy of excellence?

How do leaders support risk? creativity? 

Will efforts to make institutional decision making more transparent to the group, allow for more effective personal decision making?

Learning Something New

I have an independent study student this semester who is researching the relationship between physics, math, and music. He has been uncovering some interesting patterns as well as some intriguing historical perspectives. For a summary of that research, check out his blog.

One of the things that is enjoyable about this process is how much I've been learning about music, which is a huge deficit for me in terms of understanding. I have a general appreciation for music but really no intuition or talent for the production of music. My student has been patiently trying to catch me up on the foundations of music theory.

Most recently he showed me a video which demonstrates the use of a series of cords in 36 contemporary songs. I've included the video in this post.

This type of collaboration in our learning is very productive. We plan to showcase his research to our gifted teacher as well as some other key players to expose the potential for a shift in instructional methods.

4Chords... 36 Songs [WARNING: Contains Explicit Lyrics/Language]

Watch more BREAK.COM videos on AOL Video

Create, Collaborate, Communicate: Empowering Students With 21st Century Skills : January 2009 : THE Journal

Create, Collaborate, Communicate: Empowering Students With 21st Century Skills : January 2009 : THE Journal

Referring to a survey of 50 corporations, organizations, and small businesses, "the top three things employers are looking for in new recruits are:

Creative problem solving;
Critical and analytical thinking skills; and
Information gathering and evaluation."

After reading those top three things... seems like corporations, organizations and businesses want everyone to be physicists. =)

Toxic Grading Practices