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New District, New Role

3/6/2023

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In December 2022, Robert was hired to become the Supervisor of Technology Integration, PreK-12 for the Mahwah Township Public Schools. I will miss my students and colleagues in Ramsey, but I'm grateful for this opportunity.

In my new role, I will supervise the five district Library Media Specialists, oversee implementation of core district applications such as Google Workspace for Education, ClassLink, and a 1:1 Windows laptop program. I will serve as a liaison between the Technology Department and the district teachers, content supervisors, and teachers. I will advocate for teachers and students.

I am excited by this new challenge and hope to make a greater impact in PreK-12 education education.
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WEBINAR: CODE YOU CAN TOUCH: PROJECTS AND TOOLS FOR CREATING AUGMENTED REALITY AND VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCES

6/9/2021

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I was recently invited to participate in a webinar with CS For All Teachers on computer science and virtual reality. CS for All Teachers Community Ambassador Kiki Carozza led the webinar and I had a chance to discuss using CoSpaces Edu with my middle school students to create virtual and Augmented reality experiences as part of my Digital Design classes. Check out the YouTube video below.
CS For All Teachers Webinar Page
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Vicki Davis’ 10 Minute Teacher Podcast: How Kids Can Design in AR & VR

3/7/2020

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It was awesome chatting with Vicki Davis on her 10 Minute Teacher Podcast about students designing with Augmented and Virtual Reality tools. Check out the podcast and the CoolCatTeacher page below.
HOW KIDS CAN DESIGN IN AR AND VR WITH ROBERT KALMAN
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EXPERIENCE, TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHT 2018 EDTECHTEACHER SUMMIT IN BOSTON

12/23/2018

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It was awesome to attend and present at the EdTecherTeacher Boston Summit this year. I was featured in this Marketscale article after being interviewed by Sarah Acre. Check out some of the quotes below. I presented on AR creation and consumption tools for the classroom - my presentation resources are posted on my homepage. It's really exciting to share accessible augmented reality tools with great colleagues, and EdTechTeacher summits always attract a great group of innovative educators.
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Image source: Marketscale
Several speakers highlighted the growing share of AR and VR tools and apps that teachers have at their disposal for use in the classroom. Robert Kalman, Digital Design Teacher and Tech Integrator at Eric S. Smith Middle School in Ramsey, New Jersey, shared more about why he attended the conference to lead his session “Exploring Augmented Reality in EDU.”
“Over the last couple years, the advancements with the processors in phones and tablets have made AR and VR apps much more accessible. My presentation was kind of broken down into AR consumption and AR creation. The exciting thing is that students now cannot only consume AR and VR experiences, but they can make their own using a bunch of different tools, which is cool” he said.“ That can branch into a variety of projects that bring in different content areas.”
Regarding the role that technology is playing in education, Kalman emphasized that AR and VR are not slated to replace existing teaching methods. Rather, they enhance learning already happening in the classroom by providing context for instructional content and by increasing student engagement.
“EdtechTeacher really tries to focus on not just grasping for what’s the shiny new toy, but [being] more responsible and open-minded in terms of still doing what is pedagogically sound. So, AR and VR give the opportunity for students to experience different things, whether it’s digitally seeing it, or experimenting with it in a different sort of way,” Kalman said. “Definitely the powerful thing is the engagement. If students are engaged, they’ll be more motivated and interested and put forth higher effort and it will ultimately create valuable learning experiences.”
Read the Full Article from Marketscale
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Make a Video Game Instead of Taking a Test? That’s One Way Teachers Use Bloxels

10/28/2017

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I was recently featured in an article by Scott Newcomb of The 74 titled “Make a Video Game Instead of Taking a Test? That’s One Way Teachers Use Bloxels.”

It gives a nice overview of my use of Bloxels as a design, pre-coding, and creative storytelling tool in my classroom. It further identifies some ways content-area teachers can use Bloxels, and any video game design tools for that matter, for project-based learning and alternative forms of assessment.

​“The iteration process is so fast,” [Kalman] says. “You design a character on the board and scan it in, and immediately you are able to say, ‘Yeah, that is what I want,’ or find a problem with it or find a way to make it better. It promotes fast iteration and a growth mindset.”

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ISTE 2017 and Digital Storytelling Through Video Game Design

7/11/2017

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Officially presenting this year at ISTE in San Antonio was a thrill!

https://conference.iste.org/2017/program/search/detail_session.php?id=108059185

Not only did I have the opportunity to demonstrate my innovative classroom practices, and share those pedagogies with colleagues, but I was also able to learn, explore and share.

Thank you to Nibletz for giving my poster session a shoutout: http://www.nibletz.com/events/iste/bloxels-will-9-year-old-tech-reporters-first-stop-iste-2017.

Thank you as well to all those who attended and shared on social media, and to the Pixel Press team for their support and partnership.
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NorthJersey.com (The Record) Feature Article

9/6/2016

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As 1.4M students return to school, N.J. education faces a year of profound change
Today I was featured in feature article on NorthJersey.com (the web version of the The Record) showcasing our first day of school in Ramsey. While the article highlights some challenges and concerns that public schools across New Jersey are facing, it is rewarding that my classroom can serve as a bright spot.

​I regularly express my gratitude for being able to teach a subject that I am passionate about, without having rigid standards and testing to hold back the innovation and creativity of the students. Additionally, this begins our journey in my newly redesigned classroom. It will be awesome to see the impact that this new learning space has on my students.
In Ramsey, some 85 miles north of Trenton, teachers were focused on balancing basics and state mandates with experiences for students designed to pique their curiosity and develop critical thinking skills.
At a computer technology class at Smith Middle School, students gathered around high tables where they were introduced to the tools they would use during the class. The eighth graders took turns building projects with snap circuits, creating designs for video games and plugging alligator clips into a lump of Play-Doh to turn it into a controller for an online piano.
The goal, teacher Robert Kalman said, was to get the students to use the tools in a goal-oriented way, to create and build and solve problems. He was there as a “facilitator” helping to guide students as they explored and learned on their own.
Principal Andrew Herre said the school strives to meet state academic mandates while also getting students involved in different subjects and projects. “You’re held accountable to the State of New Jersey, but also to students and parents, so you have to find balance,” he said.
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THE Journal Article at ISTE 2016

6/30/2016

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While attending ISTE 2016 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO, I was interviewed by Richard Chang of THE Journal – a highly respected publication highlighting innovative educational technologies.
Robert Kalman, an ed tech teacher from Westwood, NJ, demonstrated a game and code-making product called Bloxels. He illustrated how children could create a digital world using tiny colored blocks, solve problems and tell a story.

'It’s definitely introducing them to coding concepts,' he said. 'It helps the see the connection between the physical and digital world. They learn to be creative. They learn the design process. They can experiment with innovative technologies. It allows them to tell a story in a different sort of medium than they’re used to.'
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– Richard Chang, THE Journal
You can read the full article from THE Journal here: 
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Playground and Poster Sessions Push Teaching Forward
Playground and Poster Sessions Push Teaching Forward -- THE Journal
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ROBERT KALMAN, PIXEL PRESS EDUCATOR IN RESIDENCE

2/15/2016

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This post was originally published on 2/10/16 at  http://www.bloxelsbuilder.com/blog/welcome-robert-educator-in-residence
I am an enthusiastic middle school computer technology teacher from northern New Jersey. I am married to a fellow computer tech teacher, and we have a beautiful daughter named Toby. After teaching all subjects in a fifth grade position for two years, constantly aiming for tech integration and exciting 21st century projects, I was lucky enough to transition to an ICT position in our 1:1 iPad middle school this past year.

In this role, I have the opportunity to work with each 6th, 7th, and 8th grade student for six weeks out of the school year. My goal as an edtech teacher is to expose students to relevant and innovative technologies, while also creating authentic projects through Problem-Based learning, Coding, and Design Thinking. I place emphasis on CREATION: we don’t simply play games, we make games. Each student leaves my class having made several impressive, technology-based artifacts with their iPads and computers.

Each day, I try to create a culture of innovation in my classroom by fostering a student-centered culture and encouraging students to “fail forward” with a growth mindset. I also attempt to tear down the walls of my classroom by having all students create websites to house their work, sharing them with the world, in addition to using our class Twitter account to connect with other classrooms, students, and educators.

I mirror this mindset professionally, as I’m very active on Twitter myself – constantly discovering and sharing new ideas with my Professional Learning Network online, and at workshops and conferences.

Based on my educational philosophy, Pixel Press is the perfect place to be an Educator in Residence. I first learned about the organization through Twitter. After initially reading “draw your own video game,” I decided that I had to give Pixel Press Floors a shot. I loved it. More importantly, my students loved it. I found the creativity, coding connection, design process, supportive educational materials, and the innovative technology to be amazing for my students.

Once I heard about the release of Bloxels, I connected with Robin Rath, CEO & Co-Founder, and suggested that I could help spread the word about this awesome game design and coding tool. Not only are Pixel Press’ inventions fun, cool, exciting, relevant, authentic, and challenging, but they also give students a unique voice that they aren’t often provided in school. I’m thrilled to be helping Pixel Press help educators put Bloxels into students’ hands.

Please connect with me on Twitter @robert_kalman, or shoot me an email at robertkalman (at) gmail (dot) com.

– Robert Kalman
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