Deeper Learning Through Technology

Technology is transforming the business of teaching and learning. Thankfully we have Ken Halla who provides here a timely guide to navigate this new digital classroom. Ken's resourceful guide is for every teacher who wants to steer into the new world of teaching and learning with confidence. -- Dan Larsen, Social Studies Teacher, Stevenson High School Deeper Learning provides readers with a spot-on assemblage of thoughts and actions for teacher leaders who are ready to leap into the digital world of instruction. Second order teaching is described in clear and applicable terms which will ignite the power of relevance in all of us. -- Mark Edwards, 2013 USA Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators For most of history, where you were born and your proximity to books, resources, and libraries were factors that impacted your potential for academic success. This is no longer true. In our lifetime, there has been a fundamental shift to this longstanding reality. Today our teachers and students have 1 Billion libraries and all the world's information at our fingertips. Technology has integrated into the core of all our lives and into almost everything we do. In education, it is no longer a question of whether we integrate technology in education, it is a question of how we do it. What Ken Halla has done in Deeper Learning is lay out how teachers can integrate technology into their classroom to not only take advantage of this new world we live in, but more importantly, to help teachers better meet the needs that students face today as they prepare to develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities they need to thrive in their futures. In this book, not only does Halla do a masterful job of covering all the important aspects, tools, and resources of education technology teachers need to understand, he supports what he highlights with real classroom examples and provides challenges teachers can take on as they master these skills. Whether you are a veteran to ed technology or just getting started, Halla's book will help you tailor learning to meet the needs of your students and take on new teaching methodologies and tools to help you create the learner focused classroom you want to build! This is a must have resource for today's teachers! -- Jaime Casap, Global Education Evangelist Ken Halla is a teacher committed to improving his craft by learning and interacting with other educators. His dedication to enhancing instructional practice and meeting the needs of every student through the integration of technology is well documented in this book. It is a must read for any educator interested in meeting the needs of 21st Century students. -- John Kellogg, Superintendent For teachers grappling with the rise of online learning in schools, this is a must read--a detailed nuts and bolts guide to classroom tools in the cloud. -- Michael B. Horn, Co-Founder and Director, Christensen Institute This is a great book for all educators. Spending time to learn how to employ technology tools for the classroom, especially when they are simple and free, saves hours of time per week and ultimately makes teachers' lives much easier, so they can spend more time doing what they love--teaching. -- Brett Kopf, Co-Founder One of the most common complaints I hear from students is that their teachers don't understand how to effectively use technology to enhance learning. However, Ken Halla has become one of the most highly-regarded teachers in our community as a result of his work engaging students in new ways, so much so that his trending hashtags on Twitter consistently inspire students to delve more deeply into course content outside of the classroom. I am so glad he has written this book to help other teachers and administrators learn from his successes. -- Ryan McElveen, At-large Member With technology evolving at a furious pace, teachers are often overwhelmed with how to begin. Ken Halla's book, written from firsthand practitioner experience, provides practical and simple integration techniques that will assist both novice and more experienced teachers incorporate technology to enhance student learning. -- Eric Sheninger, author of Digital Leadership, Changing Paradigms for Changing Times I am thrilled to have a copy of this book and want to get it into the hands of my principal, tech teacher, and colleagues. It is straight-forward, well-organized, and a smart approach to developing 21st century expertise in educators of every level. We need this book in my school system. If I had the power, I would order a copy for every employee and then set about forming PLNs for its use. -- April Keck DeGennaro, Teacher Need to help your students become a 21st Century Learner? Look no further! This book is all you need and you too will learn something new! -- Gina Powell, Instructional Technology Resource Teacher I am not just reading. I am learning on the spot. I can go to my classroom tomorrow and use information I learned about while reading. Our students love to use technology. Why not motivate them by using what they enjoy so much? This book will provide powerful information on how to engage your students with technology. -- Tamara Daugherty, Third Grade Teacher This book provides a focus that is missing from most integration related resources. It focuses on changing instruction. Teachers will not be intimidated by the rationale and ideas the author presents. The examples are realistic, applicable, and easily reproducible by teachers. -- John Lustig, Technology Director The author has made it easy for the teacher to work electronic devices into the classroom and prepare the students for a student-led classroom. The book is so organized that beginners can have success in a short amount of time. Students and teachers will love it. -- Susan Harmon, Technology and Science Instructor