Kids. Cable. Learning.
The Official Podcast Channel of Cable in the Classroom!

During the 13th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) held in Washington, DC in March 2008, Cable in the Classroom helped moderate a panel discussion on Developing 21st Century Skills in School and District Leaders. CoSN is the country’s premier voice for K-12 education leaders who use technology strategically to improve teaching and learning.

Members of the panel discussed the 2007 revised framework of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, which offers a vision for educational technology leaders. The panel, comprised of experts from cutting-edge districts and thought leaders from higher education and the nonprofit sector, examined common assumptions and goals for technology integration in the context of the 21st century skills movement. More importantly, panelists and attendees discussed what skills, knowledge and expertise school leaders must have for our nation’s evolving learning expectations.

For this podcast (MP3, 23.5MB), we spoke with one of the panelists, Terry Clark, a 2005 Cable's Leaders in Learning Award winner and the assistant superintendent for Instruction and Technology at Bethpage Union Free School District in New York. Mr. Clark discussed how teachers in his school district are currently implementing the revised framework of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, which offers a vision for educational technology leaders.

Web site resources:
Consortium for School Networking
Partnership for 21st Century Skills
Bethpage Union Free School District
Bethpage Radio
Cable's Leaders in Learning Awards

Labels: 21st Century, Bethpage Union, cable show, CIC, CoSN, future of education, Leaders in Learning, Terry Clark

Last week, Cable in the Classroom organized and presented a special session at the cable industry's annual conference focused on the technology and media behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs of today's students. Just as education administrators and policymakers are starting to look to students for their perspectives (for instance, see: here, here, here, here and here), so too are media companies and cable programmers trying to make sense of what the future has in store.

In this episode (MP3, 72 MB), we are pleased to provide you with the entirety of our panel session, with a special introduction by Cable in the Classroom Executive Director, Helen Soule. The panel is comprised of eight high school students (amazingly articulate juniors and seniors) drawn from five different Clark County Las Vegas high schools and moderated by the simply superb Anastasia Goodstein, a journalist and youth media expert (whose views are available online here and here). Kudos as well to the local cable operator, Cox Communications - Las Vegas, who put us in touch with several local teachers, who in turn helped us identify our student panelists.

The wide ranging conversation covers topics including: MySpace and social networking, blogging, communication preferences (email, IM, SMS, cellphone), TV and Tivo/DVRs, advertising, music (including the ubiquitous iPod), videogaming (PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, xBox), multitasking, internet safety, the portrayal of youth/teens by the media, their obsession with Apple and the forthcoming iPhone, and how their use of technology and media intersects with school.

It was an amazing conversation. Do take a listen and let us know what you think by leaving a comment.

Labels: Anastasia Goodstein, cable show, Clark County School District, digital disconnect, future of education, Las Vegas, NCTA, student views, Totally Wired, Ypulse