Chalkboard Projects
When technology works (and when it doesn’t)

Let’s multitask
Draw four straight lines without picking up your pen so that
you pass through all the dots once.

Let’s multitask
Fail
Draw four straight lines without picking up your pen so that
you pass through all the dots once.

“The inventor of the system deserves to be
ranked among the best contributors to
learning and science, if not the greatest
benefactors of mankind.”
~ Josiah F. Bumstead

“The inventor of the system deserves to be
ranked among the best contributors to
learning and science, if not the greatest
benefactors of mankind.”
~ Josiah F. Bumstead
1841

“The inventor of the system deserves to be
ranked among the best contributors to
learning and science, if not the greatest
benefactors of mankind.”
~ Josiah F. Bumstead
1841
On the benefits of the chalkboard

The Chalk Board

The Chalk Board
Then:

The Chalk Board
Then:
• Innovative teaching tool

The Chalk Board
Then:
• Innovative teaching tool
• Rapidly adopted

The Chalk Board
Then:
• Innovative teaching tool
• Rapidly adopted
• Changed teaching &
learning

The Chalk Board
Then:
• Innovative teaching tool
• Rapidly adopted
• Changed teaching &
learning
• Probably showcased at
Parent’s Night

The Chalk Board
Then: Now:
• Innovative teaching tool
• Rapidly adopted
• Changed teaching &
learning
• Probably showcased at
Parent’s Night

The Chalk Board
Then: Now:
• Innovative teaching tool • No longer viewed as
innovative
• Rapidly adopted
• Changed teaching &
learning
• Probably showcased at
Parent’s Night

The Chalk Board
Then: Now:
• Innovative teaching tool • No longer viewed as
innovative
• Rapidly adopted
• Widely used
• Changed teaching &
learning
• Probably showcased at
Parent’s Night

The Chalk Board
Then: Now:
• Innovative teaching tool • No longer viewed as
innovative
• Rapidly adopted
• Widely used
• Changed teaching &
learning • Price of doing business
• Probably showcased at
Parent’s Night

The Chalk Board
Then: Now:
• Innovative teaching tool • No longer viewed as
innovative
• Rapidly adopted
• Widely used
• Changed teaching &
learning • Price of doing business
• Probably showcased at • We need something
Parent’s Night cooler for Parent’s Night

Next Cool Thing

Next Cool Thing
• Engaging teaching

Next Cool Thing
• Engaging teaching
• Wikipedia

Next Cool Thing
• Engaging teaching
• Wikipedia
• Classroom
management

Next Cool Thing
• Engaging teaching
• Wikipedia
• Classroom
management
• Facebook

Next Cool Thing
• Engaging teaching
• Wikipedia
• Classroom
management
• Facebook
• Email

Next Cool Thing
• Engaging teaching
• Wikipedia
• Classroom
management
• Facebook
• Email
• Takes up time

Next Cool Thing
• Engaging teaching
• Wikipedia
• Classroom
management
• Facebook
• Email
• Takes up time
• Helpful software

Or Next Chalk Board?
• Engaging teaching
• Wikipedia
• Classroom
management
• Facebook
• Email
• Takes up time
• Helpful software

Puzzle Thinking
• Limited & static rules
• Limited answer set
• Clear when solution is
reached
• Easy to “cheat” with
technology

Puzzle Thinking
• Limited & static rules
• Limited answer set
• Clear when solution is
reached
• Easy to “cheat” with
technology

Puzzle Thinking
• Limited & static rules
• Limited answer set
• Clear when solution is
reached
• Easy to “cheat” with
technology

Puzzle Thinking
• Limited & static rules
• Limited answer set
• Clear when solution is
reached
• Easy to “cheat” with
technology

The Challenge of Mysteries
• Too much information
• Fluid and plural
• Absence of an outcome may
be the outcome
• Need ‘framing’ rather than
‘solving’
• Technology and good
teaching lead to results

The Challenge of Mysteries
• Too much information
• Fluid and plural
• Absence of an outcome may
be the outcome
• Need ‘framing’ rather than
‘solving’
• Technology and good
teaching lead to results

The Challenge of Mysteries
• Too much information
• Fluid and plural
• Absence of an outcome may
be the outcome
• Need ‘framing’ rather than
‘solving’
• Technology and good
teaching lead to results

Puzzle Solution

Puzzle Solution

What happened?
• Who solved the puzzle?
• Who used the internet?
• Who worked it out for themselves?
• Who shared the answer with others?
• Who “cheated?”
• Compare this experience to the workplace
• Compare this experience to our
classrooms

Now what?
• Technology lets us solve puzzles easily
• Puzzles aren’t as interesting as they used to be
• Technology can engage our learners
• But many things can’t be taught this way

Framing mysteries using
effective tools has always
been good teaching.

Work Cited
\"Thinking outside the box.\" Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 3 Nov
2008, 12:02 UTC. 26 Nov 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/
index.php?title=Thinking_outside_the_box&oldid=249387189>.
Treverton, Gregory. \"Risks and Riddles.\" Smithsonian June 2007.
Smithsonianmag.com. Smithsonian Institution. 30 Nov. 2008 <http://
www.smithsonianmag.com/people-places/presence_puzzle.html>.
Wesch, Michael. A Vision of Students Today. 12 Oct. 2007. YouTube. 30
Nov. 2008 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o>.