TakingCTRL in Ed Tech

Think about the best learning experience you've ever had. What was it like for you? Consider the classroom environment--the topic you were learning about--the activities you were completing--the people you were learning with and from--We bet the textbook you used or the slide deck (if applicable!) you saw in class wasn't in the forefront of your mind.   How educators and instructional designers intentionally create great learning experiences in the planning process is pivotal; it helps to recognize and anticipate gaps that could exist to help students reach their goals and the instructor's intent for learning.   Join us on this episode as we discuss how we take students from their present levels of performance and move them across gaps to reach their goals.   Join in the Conversation!   Email: takingctrlpodcast@gmail.com Facebook Groups: https://facebook.com/groups/TakingCTRL/ Twitter: @CtrlTaking

Educational professionals: Have you ever considered your grading structures at your institution and lamented, "There has got to be another way!" How can educators and instructional settings usher in changes in our learning environments that embrace technology, and future-ready competencies that enhance the learning experience when we measure them against the archaic grading systems of the past? In this podcast, host Dr. Samantha Kozar (formerly Bahna!) discusses rethinking the approach to traditional grading structures and assessment to get to what matters most: Helping individuals discover passion for learning and its process, which is something that will last a lifetime. Join in the Conversation! Email: takingctrlpodcast@gmail.com Facebook Groups: https://facebook.com/groups/TakingCTRL/ Twitter: @CtrlTaking

"What is an evidenced-based practice or program? What makes them evidenced-based? How do I select and implement one?" These are the common questions often asked by school leaders, instructional coaches, and teachers. We all have the same goal in mind: Student improvement, but how we get there differs. Let's delve into a common vehicle for student improvement--evidenced-based practices and programs (EBPs)--and discuss the terminology, challenges, and successes of selecting and implementing ones that benefit students and teachers.  Increase effectiveness, avoid "initiative overload," and waste less time and resources.  Resources:  Peabody Institute at Vanderbilt University-Evidenced-based practices Join in the Conversation!  Email: takingctrlpodcast@gmail.com  Facebook Groups: https://facebook.com/groups/TakingCTRL/ Twitter: @CtrlTaking                

What is the difference between Latinx, Hispanic, and Xicanx students? How do I create culturally-inclusive practices in remote learning environments? Where can I find resources to support equitable educational experiences for Latinx, Hispanic, and Xicanx students? Look no further. This episode addresses these issues and more. A podcast that is based on the presentation Understanding Latinx, Hispanic, and Xicanx Students with Culturally-Responsive Teaching by Angello Villarreal of Monmouth University and your host, Samantha Bahna for the NJEA Convention 2020 Virtual Conference.  Slide Notes 

The COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a bypass in which technological processes and tools that would normally have taken years to adapt and adopt in American institutions, have turned up as a new aspect of life in education. The rise of remote teaching is an opportunity to empower the learner in the virtual experience, and public health events are also affording us the ability to rewrite educational standards that need to be addressed for inclusivity to combat systematic racism and prejudices in our classrooms.  In Part I of this podcast, I lay the foundation for the conversation with teachers and parents in Part II about the essence of online learning should be focused on flexibility and adaptability to enable students to reach greater heights and not be limited by a predetermined set of circumstances. I talk about a piece by Walsh (2020) that highlighted Silicon Valley runaway and NYU School of Business instructor, Scott Galloway, on what he calls "big tech's coming disruption in higher education" and how I connect that to K-12, and our society's collective need to discuss reforming our school systems for greater cooperation and comity of the American culture in the future. Join the Conversation! Email: takingctrlpodcast@gmail.com Twitter: @CTRLTaking

In my episode this week, I speak to doctoral candidate, NC School Principal of the Year, and featured educational leader from ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, New York Times, and CBS News on teacher leadership, management, and best practices for leading by example in one of the most challenging educational times in modern history.  Listen in as our very special guest shares his insight on how leaders inspire and act, and how forward-thinking and flexibility are intrinsic behaviors to success in uncertain times. Join the Conversation! Email: takingctrlpodcast@gmail.com Guest: tabari.wallace@cravenk12.org  Twitter:  Podcast: CTRLTaking Guest: TabariWallace Facebook Groups: https://facebook.com/groups/TakingCTRL/

Remote instruction has left many faculty in higher education feeling distressed, frustrated, or overwhelmed. I want to understand how higher education faculty, particularly tenured, full-time faculty in 4-year institutions, use Twitter to seek academic help. In my own observation and interactions, individuals who use Twitter to seek academic support formally and informally recognize the social nature of the network, and the sense of community in which their online interactions are able to help them feel more empowered to complete teaching in digital environments.  So how can we move higher education faculty from passive help-seekers to active help-seekers using Twitter?  Amador, P., & Amador, J. (2017). Academic help seeking: A Framework for Conceptualizing Facebook Use for Higher Education Support (61), 195-202.  Join the Conversation!  @CtrlTaking  takingctrlpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/TakingCTRL/ 

In this episode, Phil, a New Jersey School Administrator speaks about the Public-Health Related School Closures impacting students in his district. In the episode, he shares his experiences during the planning stages, and implementation of plans developed to help continue education for students of all abilities and socioeconomic status.  To reach out to Phil with any questions, please email us at takingctrlpodcast@gmail.com 

In the wake of the Coronavirus Pandemic, the need for considerable leadership is beyond requisite. How do we prepare ourselves for a better, more actionable future? How are we going to develop ourselves as more academically oriented leaders that understand the demands of tomorrow? Technology is not going away anytime soon, nor is it having a lesser impact in our daily lives.  In this podcast, I discuss navigating the doctoral journey in the field of Educational Technology Leadership, and share my experiences and perspectives on why and how this has been the most important, life-changing journey for myself--and my students.  Join the Conversation and Engage with Others Like Yourself.  Facebook Groups: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TakingCTRL/ Twitter:  @CTRLTaking

The recent article Here's What NJ Kids Really Think About School From Home by NJ Advance Media for NJ.com is disconcerting. Why? It ONLY features feedback from a handful of students in affluent schools in NJ that have no problem with digital connectivity. So what about our students with varying ability levels, physical impairments, English Language Learners (ELLs), and students with Right to Intervention (RTI)? What about the experiences of students across the nation? The world? If no reporting is being conducted by major media outlets in NJ/NY and beyond for our most vulnerable populations regarding the attitudes and experiences of those unable to get online in their attempts to provide educational continuity while schools are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, are we suppressing their collective experiences?   Please join me in this very special episode where I encourage you to share your story--no matter where you are in the world--regarding educational continuity during massive school closures during the pandemic. Whether you are a parent, guardian, student, teacher, or caregiver, I want to hear your story.  Be part of the conversation. Let your voice be heard. Twitter: @CtrlTaking  Email: takingctrlpodcast@gmail.com Text: @g6ghgb to 81010 

In this episode I look at the recent reporting on Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and the "free" services being offered to low-income residents. I examine the FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's request for companies to sign the "Keep America Connected" pledge, and what this should mean for K-12 school Technology Supervisors and Coordinators moving forward once the coronavirus has passed. I discuss the necessary urgency for school districts in NJ and across the nation to willingly address the inequities that face our ethnic, racial, and underrserved students and work to solve them for good in NJ and the nation as a whole. https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-internet-providers-free-wifi-20200315-6k7pzukriffdfcic5odfizmnri-story.html https://www.multichannel.com/news/pai-broadband-companies-take-covid-19-connectivity-pledge https://internetessentials.com/

What tools are out there that I can use with my students if I need to teach online? How am I going to help my students that need modifications or accommodations? Who can show me how to use these resources? Are these tools appropriate for different grade and age levels? What about ability levels? These are some of the questions being asked by many educators across the world because of COVID-19 potentially impacting instruction due to school closures. In this podcast, I share over 50+ resources that I have used in my K-12 classrooms as well as in teaching graduate students in Educational Technology using online learning.   WeVideo DiscoveryEd Brain Pop Kahoot Pronto Book Creator Google for Education Tynker Buncee Pear Deck FlipGrid Screencastify Read & Write for Google Grammarly Shakespeare Creately StoryBoard That Epic Readworks.org NewsELA EdPuzzle Haiku Deck Slides Carnival Padlet Explain Everything Recap by Swivl GoSoapBox Quizziz Diagnostic Questions Canva Bloomz Remind Class Dojo ThingLink Plickers Kami Others I did not mention in the podcast but worthy of mention: Math: Wolfram Alpha Prodigy Khan Academy Desmos  AR/VR: Google Expeditions Within-VR Panoform Here is a list of EVEN MORE Resources for Google Apps and Extensions: E-Learning Resources for Teachers Questions? Comments? Want to Jump Into the Conversation? Email: TakingCTRLPodcast@gmail.com or on Twitter: @CTRLTaking 

The recent barrage of higher education marketing from billboards to commercials and even transit flyers has some individuals concerned over the quality of education in online settings. In this podcast, I discuss and share a professional conversation I had with several colleagues in regards to the debate of online learning versus traditional, face-to-face learning. I will discuss and share some resources, which are below to add as points of reflection.  Dexway Article: https://www.dexway.com/5-reasons-why-online-learning-is-more-effective/ Marianne Stoltz-Loike article from US News and World Report: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-learning-lessons/articles/2017-02-10/4-reasons-online-learning-works-well-for-working-adults Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM): https://www.pcom.edu/ U.S Department of Education College Accreditation Search: https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home

1. https://money.cnn.com/technology/sexual-harassment-tech/ 2. https://www.rainn.org/statistics/scope-problem

Mishra and Koehler (2006). TPACK Framework.  Comments? Questions? Like to join in on the conversation? Please leave me a comment below.  Twitter: @SamanthaBahna

Dana's Online Educational STEAM Community for Teachers:  https://m.facebook.com/pg/TheDigitalInnovationStation/groups/ Contact: danamason18@gmail.com

Aileen Matias-Castro: https://www.techittoanotherlevel.com Jeremy Bauer-Wolff (2019) report: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/02/26/latinx-black-college-students-leave-stem-majors-more-white-students

https://tinyurl.com/uwr4dfl https://tinyurl.com/skbzghw https://tinyurl.com/tzcer82 

In this first episode of a new educational series, we introduce TakingCTRL--a podcast amplifying underrepresented voices, particularly those of females, Hispanics, and Latinxs, in STEM/STEAM-related academic and career domains. If you like this podcast, please hit Like, Share, or Subscribe!