A Principal's Reflections
SEPTEMBER 21, 2014
'The other day I posted the following statement on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, "When was the last time any of us had to take a standardized test in our careers? Answer = never. So why is this done to kids incessantly?" I should have clarified my comment a bit more by explaining that I was referring to repetitive standardized tests being taken while in the same job with the same school, company, or corporation.
The Web20Classroom
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
'When I was in the classroom I always looked forward to back-to-school. Getting my classroom ready, that feeling of the excitement for a new year left me with the anticipation for great things to happen. But heading back to school and getting in the groove was less about content and more about ensuring we had a successful school year. Whether you''ve been in school for a few days or a month or two, there are a few, simple things you can do to find that success.
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Educational Technology Guy
SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
'CK-12 , a great resource for free e-textbook and curricular resources, has just announced the launch of it''s Physics Interactive Simulations. The simulations are all online and free. There are currently 66 simulations available, with a lot more coming soon. Some of them may look familiar as some look like some I used on PhET, another source of great online labs and simulations.
The Journal
SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
A parent whose children's school is using computing technology sent us a letter asking some ostensibly simple questions about the value of educational technology. But, while providing answers to those questions is actually not simple, we must, as a community, work to provide clear, readily accessible answers.
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The Thinking Stick
SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
'There are different ways to measure success. Last week at the first ever Learning2 Africa conference that was held at ICS Addis Ababa, Ethiopia we measured it in a few different ways. 118 of 119 of the participants on the survey said they would recommend the conference to a friend or plan on attending next year. Before we left the conference we had a school step up wanting to host it for 2015.
Learning in Hand
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
'QR (Quick Response) codes can make classrooms more efficient and interactive. Instead of typing in a web address, a student can open an app and point his or her device’s camera at the code and walk away with a website, audio, or video open in his or her web browser. QR codes store information in an image made up of tiny squares, and anyone can create them.
EdTech Update brings together the best content for education technology professionals from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
My Paperless Classroom
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
'As I think about learning stations in elementary I wonder how many I need with 24 kids. I am leaning towards at least 6 stations. This is based on the idea that 24/6 =4, but I am committed to letting them choose which ever station they want. Ownership of knowledge begins with choice. I am also not sure it will be group work, so what does the number of choices matter?
The Innovative Educator
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
'By Chris Casal + Lisa Nielsen Cross posted at [link] Innovative educators know first hand that social media like Twitter, Facebook, Google, and Instagram can be a powerful tool for teaching, learning, leading, and strengthening the home-school connection. In many cases though, others may need to be brought on board. Especially when parents are expressing concerns and unsure of how a platform can be used successfully.
Learning With Lucie
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
'“The more we can turn the nation into a nation of makers, they will be smarter, they’ll be better problem-solvers, and they’ll be more equipped for the problems of tomorrow." ~ Nolan Bushnell The world is a buzz about “MAKING” and so am I! But is it a new ‘trend”? I think not! But it is a way of learning that is capturing the attention of many and for me I want to SHOUT from the rooftop - “It’s about TIME you notice!
Learning with 'e's
SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
'This is number 31 in my series on learning theories. I''m working through the alphabet of psychologists and theorists, providing a brief overview of each theory, and how it can be applied in education. Previous posts in this series are all linked below. My last post explored Donald Norman''s ideas around perception and the design of every day objects.
Speaker: Andrew Cohen, Founder & CEO of Brainscape
The instructor’s PPT slides are brilliant. You’ve splurged on the expensive interactive courseware. Student engagement is stellar. So… why are half of your students still forgetting everything they learned in just a matter of weeks? It's likely a matter of cognitive science! With so much material to "teach" these days, we often forget to incorporate key proven principles into our curricula — namely active recall, metacognition, spaced repetition, and interleaving practice.
My Paperless Classroom
SEPTEMBER 23, 2014
'We are not always learning about programming, , but this week it became a choice activity. Why? Because they asked for it. Prior to this we had built our skills using a Tynker over the course of 2 classes. The first class focused on basic functional instruction and some strategies for finding answers: Ask 3 then me Read the screen Try something else Ask for help In this first lesson I asked them to start at the beginning of level one, although several students said they had used the app before,
The Innovative Educator
SEPTEMBER 20, 2014
'Here’s the roundup of what''s been popular on The Innovative Educator blog. Below you’ll see the top posts along with the number of page views. I hope there''s something that looks of interest to you. If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired use one of those icons below the post to share it with others and/or leave a comment. Entry Pageviews It''s #SoMe - Great #BacktoSchool Activity for Digi.
MSEDTechie
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
'I''ve always been a huge fan of Educreations, a free whiteboard and recording app and website. I have included the app as one of my favorites on a few of my past blog posts. They have just introduced some new and improved features of their product, that will make using EduCreations even more productive. Educreations 2.0 version is better then ever!
Learning with 'e's
SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
'This is number 30 in my series on learning theories. I''m working through the alphabet of psychologists and theorists, providing a brief overview of each theory, and how it can be applied in education. Previous posts in this series are all linked below. My most recent post examined Stanley Milgram''s experiments on obedience to authority and their application in education.
This white paper examines and proposes revisions to the "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education" introduced by Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson in 1987 for today's technology-driven world.
My Paperless Classroom
SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
'Sometimes you get to attend a surprise Edcamp. I was settling in to write when I saw a tweet about Edcamp Los Altos. I checked the map, and it was 2 miles away. Never mind the fact that I was in cycling shoes and a very casual t-shirt, I rode to me school, picked up Wokka and we were off to camp. At Edcamp LosAltos As the first session wrapped up, I was in the MPR and I started talking to John Miller.
The 21st Century Principal
SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
'In this News and Observer article entitled "A Hidden, Drastic Change in NC School Funding" Helen Ladd and Edward Fiske describe more sinister legislative action taken by our North Carolina Legislature and Governor during this last legislative session. In the past, school districts received funding based on projected enrollment. This allowed school districts to plan for growth, and if their enrollments did not pan out, adjustments to funding were made.
MSEDTechie
SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
'Using Digital Media to Connect Inside and Outside of the Classroom “True technology integration is seamless, it shouldn''t be viewed as an add-on, an afterthought, or an event." P. Brown. Start by taking a moment to reflect. Think about last year. How well did you integrate technology in your classroom? The key word is integrate. Unlike “using” technology, which can seem more like an arbitrary afterthought, integrating technology can be a planned, purposeful part of the classroom environment.
Learning with 'e's
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
'This is number 32 in my series on learning theories. Psychologists and cognitive scientists have offered a number of useful theories that aid our understanding of learning. In this series I''m providing a brief overview of each theory, and how each can be applied in education. Previous posts in this series are all linked below. My last post explored the work of Seymour Papert and his theory of learning by making , also known as constructionism.
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mauilibrarian2 in Olinda
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
'Many educators are sharing their Twitter content daily (twice-daily, or weekly) using paper.li , an interactive newspaper. SmallRivers is the Swiss-based company that created paper.li. Anyone can easily create (and delete) a paper, which could make for a transient experience. However, there are some Tweeters you can count on being there. And papers created from solid educational hashtags like #edchat and #edtechchat will always be around.
The 21st Century Principal
SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
'I admit it. I am one of those guilty ones who set his alarm to get up at 3:00 AM Eastern Standard Time in order to purchase an iPhone 6 + on September 12. I must admit, I have been more than pleased with my experiences so far. The issue I had with my old iPhone 4s was simply screen size. It worked well as a phone, an email-checking device, and even for occasionally checking my social media accounts, but the screen-size made it difficult for me, a fifty-plus year old to read any text for a lengt
Connecting 2 the World
SEPTEMBER 23, 2014
'I was asked to give a presentation on improving interaction for online courses. This is a very complex question. The answer lies in research that has been done in online learning, social psychology, distance or online education, communication (including interpersonal, group, and CM communication), and even organizational development. This blog post will give a basic overview of the problems, barriers, factors, and concepts most researchers agree upon.
EdTechnocation.com
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
'iOS 8 has finally arrived! But, be forewarned, all of your favorite classroom apps might not be compatible just yet! Watch out for more new app updates with iOS 8 compatibility in the next few weeks and beyond. When you finally do update, there are some key iOS 8 features that teachers might be interested in! A Better Spotlight Search! AirPlay to Apple TV without Wifi!
Speaker: Chris Paxton McMillin, President of D3 Training Solutions
There are plenty of great authoring tools for developing eLearning, but the one you select could directly impact your course's outcomes. Depending upon your learners’ needs and your organization’s performance goals, you could be overlooking considerations that impact the both effectiveness of your courses and how long it takes to finish them. From general capabilities to specific workflow structures, some aspects are critical when it comes to learning objectives and deadlines.
Technology Tidbits
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
'Shapes is a new iOS app that is fantastic for learning and manipulating geometric shapes. It lets a student control different shapes such as: prisms, pyramids, platonic solids, etc. while using familiar and easy to use hand gestures to change colors, zoom in/out, etc. Below is a list of features. - Select 27 unique shapes - Choose from a variety of: prisms, pyramids, Platonic solids, solids of revolution - Unfold shapes into different net combinations - Explore transparent surfaces mode - Highl
Educator Innovator
SEPTEMBER 22, 2014
October is right around the corner… And that means it’s almost Connected Educator Month ! Edcamps are a significant part of the Connected Educator Movement. With over 500 face-to-face events in dozens of countries, educators everywhere are coming together to learn and share organically. Edcamps are unconference events designed for educators.
MSEDTechie
SEPTEMBER 23, 2014
'“True technology integration is seamless, it shouldn''t be viewed as an add-on, an afterthought, or an event." P. Brown. Many school districts are turning to Chromebooks as a practical option for 1:1 technology initiatives. Intel-Powered Chromebooks are an easy to use, and affordable option for getting technology in the hands of students and teachers.
The Learning Revolution Has Begun
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
'The Learning Revolution Weekly Update September 24th, 2014 The important thing is not to stop questioning. - Albert Einstein Order Angela Maiers'' "Mattering IS the Agenda" Toolkit and get access to her special Webinars. [link] The Learning Revolution Project holds online and physical learning events, and highlights professional development opportunities from a network of 200 partners in the learning professions.
Speaker: Amanda Davis, Chief Experience Officer and Liam O'Malley, VP of Association Solutions
The "new normal" is now a little less new, a little more normal. Does that mean your current LMS strategy is in need of a refresh? Is your organization or association leaning into the always-evolving eLearning environment to ensure you have the tools and content to remain relevant through all this change? There are many complex decision-making processes within your learning & development strategy and LMS lifecycle management, including: Selection.
Technology Tidbits
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
'Brainscape is an excellent free iOS app for studying any topic based on mobile flashcards. This "smart" flashcards get rated by the user and based on those ratings will differentiate instruction to help the student learn. Best of all, a user can either browse through and purchase decks of flashcards or create their own and even share their cards w/ others.
Learning With Lucie
SEPTEMBER 26, 2014
'The @TeachThought 30 Day Challenge Prompt for September 26 " What are your 3 favorite go-to site for help/tips/resources in your teaching?" feels like it could yield to some hurt feelings! There are so many great ''go to sites" and I can''t imagine narrowing it down to 3 - because there are so many "it depends" on what I''m trying to do. So instead I''m going to reflect on what are my 3 features of my favorite go to sites. #1 It has to be searchable Sometimes I''m looking for something specific
MSEDTechie
SEPTEMBER 25, 2014
'Fire Safety and Prevention Week is October 5-11th. Teaching Fire Safety is easy when you have the help of Sparky the Dog! The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) provides a variety of fun free apps and other resources for teachers to use in the classroom. Sparky.org and SparkySchoolHouse.org both provide fun activities for students to learn about Fire Safety.
Comfortably 2.0
SEPTEMBER 23, 2014
'My middle school newsletter article this month. Chances are, you have some sort of social media account, whether it be Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter. I read an article the other day that said right now approximately 70% of Americans are using some form of social media. I imagine that number will only grow as we head into the future.
This whitepaper explores integrating the PowerTeaching pedagogical approach within a HyFlex (Hybrid Flexible) educational model, focusing on employing cooperative learning strategies and efficient classroom management techniques.
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