Technology & Learning - November 2008 - (Page 6)

editor’s desk GROUPTHINK FOR GOOD The future classroom as seen at Techforum To be honest, the initial reaction I had to the crowd assembled at Tech&Learning’s Techforum keynote event last month in Palisades, NY, was annoyance. How rude was it for so many to be typing on laptops or glancing at handhelds while edtech guru David Warlick was on stage speaking? But in fact, Warlick encouraged it. He directed people to his own and other Web sites as the lecture was also broadcast over the Web. At the same time, audience members “back channeled”that is, chatted online about the action in the room via Twitter and instant messaging. How meta! At times, even Warlick was hunched over his own laptop, opening a new application or checking his buddy list. It was a eureka moment of sorts for me—so this is what the classroom of the future will look like. Not one lecturer spouting by rote to mute recipients, but true interactive learning—groupthink in a positive sense—with the presenter, or, teacher, acting as the maestro; teachers and students alike swimming in a mixed media sea of information, pulling out relevant bits, debating over the merits, and assessing their progress as they go. Some more beauty with this process: the amassed results of the event are stored for your review and critique. Go to our Techforum page at http://techlearning.com/events/techforum/northeast08/ and join in. Watch the archived Webstream, read through the assorted discussion, and access the other resources yourself. Then add your own thought by emailing me or post your thoughts to our Forums page. Now think to yourself: wouldn’t it be nice to run a classroom this way? NOVEMBER 2008 | VOL. 29 NO. 4 Publisher: Allison Knapp aknapp@nbmedia.com; (510) 868-5074; Fax: (650) 238-0263 EDITORIAL Editorial Director: Kevin Hogan khogan@nbmedia.com Managing Editor: Christine Weiser cweiser@nbmedia.com Senior Art Director: Nicole Cobban ncobban@nbmedia.com Art Director: Annmarie LaScala Graphic Artists: Michelle Henning, Adrianne Knapp, Neel Patil Contributing Editors: Jeffrey Branzburg, David Jakes, Scott McLeod, Judy Salpeter, Gwen Solomon Custom Editorial Director: Gwen Solomon gwensol@earthlink.net ADVISORY BOARD Larry Buchanan, Sheila Offman Gersh, Doug Martin, Lane Mills, Alan November, Jason Ohler, Cathleen Richardson, Kathy Schrock, Ellen Towers, David Warlick TECHLEARNING.COM Web Production: Minnick Web Services ADVERTISING SALES East Coast Sales Manager: Caliann Mitoulis cmitoulis@nbmedia.com; (215) 370-5813 Account Manager: Bryan Bogart bbogart@nbmedia.com; (650) 238-0329 MARKETING Marketing Manager: Jared Stearns jstearns@nbmedia.com Production Manager: Fred Vega fvega@nbmedia.com CIRCULATION Group Circulation Director: Denise Robbins drobbins@nbmedia.com Circulation Director: Anne Drobish adrobish@nbmedia.com REPRINTS AND PERMISSIONS Wright’s Reprints: (877) 652-5295 EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES 810 Seventh Ave., 27th Floor, New York, NY 10019 Phone: (212) 378-0400; Fax: (650) 238-0263 For general editorial correspondence: techlearning_editors@nbmedia.com NEWBAY MEDIA LLC—CORPORATE President & CEO: Steve Palm Chief Financial Officer: Paul Mastronardi NEWBAY MEDIA K-12 EDUCATION GROUP Vice President, Group Publishing Director: Adam Goldstein Publisher: Allison Knapp Editorial Director: Kevin Hogan Editorial/Creative Director: Anthony Savona Web Editor: Rob Granger Web Analyst: David Leach Web Production Specialist: Ashley Vermillion Web Ad Production Specialist: Lesley Keller SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION $29.95 per year in the U.S. $59.90 for two years. $39.95 in Canada and Mexico. $69.95 in all other countries. To subscribe: (888) 266-5828 or www.techlearning.com POSTMASTER: send address changes to Technology & Learning, PO Box 8746, Lowell, MA 01853 Technology & Learning (ISSN-1053-6728) (USPS 695-590) is published monthly by NewBay Media, LLC 810 Seventh Ave., 27th Floor, New York, NY 10019 Kevin Hogan Editorial Director khogan@nbmedia.com Periodicals Postage Paid at San Bruno, CA, and additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2008 NewBay Media, LLC All Rights Reserved. www.techlearning.com N THE WEB www.techlearning.com 6 | TECH & LEARNING http://www.TECHLEARNING.COM http://techlearning.com/events/techforum/northeast08/ http://www.techlearning.com http://www.techlearning.com http://www.techlearning.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Technology & Learning - November 2008

Technology & Learning - November 2008 Contents Editor’s Desk News & Trends Put to the Test WeeWorld Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection SAS Curriculum Pathways Rosetta Stone Classroom Version Pulse Smartpen Highlights from T&L Top Classrooms Kepping the VoIP from Being the Wrong Number Watch It Back Office Business What’s New Keeping Tabs Leader of the Year Profile: Music to Their Ears

Technology & Learning - November 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.