(954) 646 8246
Hello
I’m here to tell you about a free training project for students that I’d like offer to public high schools in Miami. It’s called “How to make a free website.” This free program has been used in California for at least five years. I first saw this program at High Tech High School in San Diego. 
I’m a high school teacher in Broward County and I use free websites with my students to capture their work and let them display their academic progress …
The program uses a free gmail account for each student and there is no need to train teachers or staff.
There would be no direct training cost for any staff person.
I have two suggestions about how to make this training happen.
In this way, with the help of the 30 students, about 100 students will have a free website within a week.
Second, I’d like to have five minutes with the guidance counselors at the high school to show them how California uses free websites made by students.
With your permission I’d like to visit with the guidance counselors at the high school and show them how California schools get kids into better colleges with more scholarship money and get job interviews. Parents will find the websites useful to gather in one place the accomplishments of their child.
I would like to return to the board in two or three months with a progress report and at that time see if other high schools might be included in the training. With luck, some of the students that I have trained could become trainers and student advisors about free websites at other high schools, too.
So to summarize:
Free computer software,
using Google Sites,
and there is no need to train staff or teachers in the method. Your teachers are welcome to attend the training and I have video recorded the steps for them to copy. I learned this best practice from teachers in California and I’m happy to pass these tips to teachers in Dade County.
=========
Why are you doing this?
Nine years ago Dr. Abraham Fischer, former president of Nova University, testified in support of an application for a charter school. He noted that computers allow students to work at their own pace.
Dr. Fischler called his method “time is a variable” and “the student is the class.” Each student can work on whatever he wants to. The other two parts of his system include discussions about what is learned form the computer and projects.
I work at a school in Broward that is follows Dr. Fischler’s three part method. computer instruction, projects and discussions. That school is using free websites to help students display their projects and document their discussion.
Digital portfolios are the missing procedure and I hope we can spread Dr Fischler’s flexible learning system to Miami.
California Schools use
Free Websites
Made by students
Free Sites show the
Student’s work
How can Florida students
Get free sites?
No cost to the public schools
No training of teachers
Put a link on the school’s website
“A List of Free Websites Created by Our Students”
Free Online Training
Next Step
The following would help the project
Allow the following sign to go into computer labs
Get a Free Website using your Gmail account
tiny.cc/freesites (954) 646 8246
tiny.cc/AbelSite Free Website Project
If there are principals who want the free workshop, I’m happy to deliver it.
There are training opportunities throughout the coming school year.
I’m particularly interested in giving workshops in August, September and October.
Thank you
Presentation to the Miami Dade
Public School Board
July 13, 2016
Put a link on the school’s website
“A List of Free Websites Created by Our Students”
Steve McCrea
Trainer
Free Websites Project
tiny.cc/FreeSites
(954) 646 8246
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PajtK8yAf2s
Steve McCrea, Trainer
Free Websites Project
(954) 646 8246
THE FREE WORKSHOP (22 minutes)
TinyURL.com/xydfreeworkshop
HIGHLIGHTS to introduced the Free Workshop
Dr. Fischler talks about TIME IS A VARIABLE
TRANSCRIPT of Dr. Fischler's presentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG2bmMjra_Q
The Campaign to get more clicks for TIME IS A VARIABLE
Dr. Fischler talks about the difficulties of transforming education
From Dr. Fischler's blog (2006)
What is my vision and strategy for educational change?
I believe that we in education must make the investment to do the same for our clients, i.e., each student. What investment is needed?
There are three modes of instruction: 1) self-paced or CAI, 2) project or problem-solving and 3) discussion. Self-paced or CAI requires that each student have access to a computer and modem and access to the curriculum on a server on a 24/7 basis. Projects and problems should be relevant to students so they can relate to the given subject area.
For English and Math, we should implement CAI in the 1st grade (and continue thereafter). The reason English and Math are chosen is that these are the two cultural imperative languages. If you know these two languages and are motivated as a self-learner, you can teach yourself almost anything you want to learn. And, one of the goals of education is to create self-learners.
For all other subjects, the teacher can pose a project or problem that is relevant to the student. Once the problem is defined, the class can be broken down into groups of 4-5 students in order to research the solution to the problem. If complex, each of the groups may study an aspect of the problem. With these subjects, the student uses the computer as a research tool (after having learned to read). Students are taught to use search engines such as Google or Yahoo as well as the intranet made available by teachers gathering information relevant for the students.
Students working in a group learn cooperation, shared responsibility and communication (face-to-face as well as e-mail). Having produced a written solution to the problem utilizing the computer (power point) as a tool, they can then present to the class for discussion. They can also use email or a written report to other students as well as the teacher.
Arbitrary learning within fixed time periods would be eliminated, i.e., no 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. grades. Instead, students would be grouped chronologically with materials appropriate to their learning level and style using the CAI approach for English and Math, and the project/problem/discussion modes for other subjects. The projects given to the students match the level of English and Math competencies and are related to the students (their interests and their lives). For example, in 3rd grade, how would you study the amount of water that a plant needs to grow? I would utilize the students' Math knowledge (learned through CAI) for science learning. Likewise, rather than studying history through memorization and chronology, it can be studied through problems based on the immediate environment for younger children and more abstract concepts in later grades.
THE FREE WORKSHOP (22 minutes)
TinyURL.com/xydfreeworkshop
HIGHLIGHTS to introduced the Free Workshop
Dr. Fischler talks about TIME IS A VARIABLE
TRANSCRIPT of Dr. Fischler's presentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG2bmMjra_Q
The Campaign to get more clicks for TIME IS A VARIABLE
Dr. Fischler talks about the difficulties of transforming education
From Dr. Fischler's blog (2006)
 |
| CLICK HERE |
What is my vision and strategy for educational change?
I believe that we in education must make the investment to do the same for our clients, i.e., each student. What investment is needed?
There are three modes of instruction: 1) self-paced or CAI, 2) project or problem-solving and 3) discussion. Self-paced or CAI requires that each student have access to a computer and modem and access to the curriculum on a server on a 24/7 basis. Projects and problems should be relevant to students so they can relate to the given subject area.
For English and Math, we should implement CAI in the 1st grade (and continue thereafter). The reason English and Math are chosen is that these are the two cultural imperative languages. If you know these two languages and are motivated as a self-learner, you can teach yourself almost anything you want to learn. And, one of the goals of education is to create self-learners.
For all other subjects, the teacher can pose a project or problem that is relevant to the student. Once the problem is defined, the class can be broken down into groups of 4-5 students in order to research the solution to the problem. If complex, each of the groups may study an aspect of the problem. With these subjects, the student uses the computer as a research tool (after having learned to read). Students are taught to use search engines such as Google or Yahoo as well as the intranet made available by teachers gathering information relevant for the students.
Students working in a group learn cooperation, shared responsibility and communication (face-to-face as well as e-mail). Having produced a written solution to the problem utilizing the computer (power point) as a tool, they can then present to the class for discussion. They can also use email or a written report to other students as well as the teacher.
Arbitrary learning within fixed time periods would be eliminated, i.e., no 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. grades. Instead, students would be grouped chronologically with materials appropriate to their learning level and style using the CAI approach for English and Math, and the project/problem/discussion modes for other subjects. The projects given to the students match the level of English and Math competencies and are related to the students (their interests and their lives). For example, in 3rd grade, how would you study the amount of water that a plant needs to grow? I would utilize the students' Math knowledge (learned through CAI) for science learning. Likewise, rather than studying history through memorization and chronology, it can be studied through problems based on the immediate environment for younger children and more abstract concepts in later grades.
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