Saskatchewan IT Summit 2010 - Dean Shareski - The Ten Worst Practices in Educational Technology

Dean Shareski's Blog: http://ideasandthoughts.org/

Intro: Curse of the default homepage (default settings on the computer) - Why don't ask what we can do with something? What could we do differently?
It's not what the software does. It's what the user does with them.(Hugh MacLeod)

1.  Interactive Whiteboards: Easy? Transformative? Should easy always be the goal of technology? What are some of the ways we can use IWBs to transform learning?
2. Power Point: Why do we see so many bad Power Points? What strategies have been successful in eliminating bad PPTs? Our table says that images are most powerful. Teaching presentation skills are key and having students talk without reading a screen. The point of a presentation is that you have to be there to give a presentation, telling a story - if you don't need to be there to read out the presentation, then it is a bad use of power point.
3. Digital Cameras: What are your favourite uses for digital cameras? How to go beyond printing out photos for display in the classroom? Our table says: Cameras can be used for documentation of student learning with dialogue to go with it. Reflective learning such as a Voice Thread. Creation: iMovie of Geometry in my environment
4. Walled Gardens: Access Denied (protected websites) - Good discussion about security settings and teaching students how to use the web safely.
5. Computer Class: Do we need them? Access poses a challenge but the need for formal classes (keyboarding, etc.) are not considered necessary.
6. Cell phones: How are we using cellphones in class? Computer power sitting in their pockets that could be used for good. 
7. Keyboarding: Should it be taught? In the world of texting, etc. Do we want to spend our time with computers teaching keyboarding when we could be doing something more creative?
8. Games: Drill and Kill exercises have a place in Education? Check out Sylvia Martinez for more info on useful games.
9. Searching: How to do proper searching to find information properly and the info that we need to find
10. Viewer's Choice: Word processing and excessive printing

Great Session Dean! Thank you!