June 15, 2010 Tech May Engage Learners, But Multitasking Is a Bad Study Habit
As we see an increase of technology in our lives and in our classrooms, we can use it effectively to engage student learning. Still multitasking is found to not be an effective use of a student's time. Study requires a one task at a time approach to make the best use of time and brain power. See this researched article by cognitive scientist Daniel T. Willingham from the Summer 2010 issue of the American Federation of Teachers' American Educator.
May 3, 2010 Million Voice Project Fosters Youths' Aspirations
The Pearson Foundation's Million Voice Project surveys and analyzes aspirations of youth, grades 6 12. Its website declares project's aim to be "to promote academic excellence and, with it, fruitful and enriching lives for all young people." In additon to the survey, it offers eight effective ways to foster your students' aspirations. With each insight comes activity sheets for lessons and reflection.
by Seth Godin. Cover Photo by Thomas Hawk
Seth Godin Offers Free Ebook "What Matters Now"
Here are more than seventy big thinkers, each sharing an idea for you to think about as we head into the new year. From bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert to brilliant tech thinker Kevin Kelly, from publisher Tim O'Reilly to radio host Dave Ramsey, there are some important people riffing about important ideas here. The ebook includes Tom Peters, Fred Wilson, Jackie Huba and Jason Fried, along with Gina Trapani, Bill Taylor and Alan Webber. Click on the cover image to download in PDF.
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NCTE 2009 Mini Video Documentaries to Motivate Student Research on Shakespeare
30 October 2009 In An Age of More and More Standardized Tests, Why Creativity?
Educational Leadership editor interviews Sir Ken Robinson, author of Out of Our Minds: Learning to Be Creative and foremost advocate of curricula that call for creativity from our students, calls for just this. Hear why.
September 6, 2009 Youngs to Present to NCTE on Mini-Video Documentaries Lessons Charles Youngs, making his sixth presentation to the National Council of Teachers of English, will share lessons used with his 9th and 12 Graders. A research project on Shakespeare, culminating in students collaborating on PhotoStory videos will be featured in-depth. Also, he'll share with colleagues how his senior students use Animoto to evoke key themes of Shakespearean soliloquies. The National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention 2009 will take place in Philadelphia this November.
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has forged alliances with key national organizations that represent the core academic subjects, including Social Studies, English, Math, Science and Geography. As a result of these collaborations, the Partnership has developed this map to illustrate the intersection between 21st Century Skills and English. The maps will enable educators, administrators and policymakers to gain concrete examples of how 21st Century Skills can be integrated into core subjects.
As this map was announced earlier last week, Kylene Beers, president of the National Council of Teachers of English pointed out that the English map includes interdisciplinary themes, outcomes, and examples from best classroom practices when it comes to integrating 21st Century Skills.
Cross-cultural themes of this curriculum are:
Creativity & Innovation Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Communication Collaboration Information Literacy Media Literacy Information & Communication Technology (ICT) Literacy Flexibility & Adaptability Initiative & Self-Direction Social & Cross-Cultural Skills Productivity & Accountability Leadership & Responsibility
Very exciting stuff as we see curricular revolution brought on by the contemporary technological advance that determines our disciplines work in tandem and in service to such life skills
At any rate this map will help we educators wrap our minds around what and how 21st Century skills might be best addressed, reassuring to progressive teachers and motivating to ones ready to get up to speed as we head to the first decade milestone of the millennium.
November 21, 2008 NCTE Presentation: "MySpace or Yours: Shifting Perspectives at the Nexus of Art Museum, Student Writing, and the Web"
Ancillary materials to accompany "MySpace or Yours" presented by Jordan Crosby, Brian Lenosky, and Charles Youngs to the Annual Convention of the National Council of Teachers of English, November 21, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas.
December 14, 2007 21st Century Literacies The NCTE has published 21st Century Literacies: A Policy Research Brief. It includes information on how teaching-learning communities are changing, key terms, and research based recommendations to meet the challenges facing teachers with regard to literacies.
Karl Fisch's Did You Know? 2.0 Version Video
Did You Know? 2.0
When is viral a good thing? When it means an slideshow-made video--chockful of thought-provoking, conversation-starting information about our kids, the world they are going to live in, and how we might start to get them headed in the right direction in the global village--is seen by more than 2 million people. That's viral and good. If you aren't one of the 2 million who have seen it, I invite you to take 5 minutes and be part of the more. And then think about how you can help our school become one that best equips our students for the future.
"What wave? I don't see a wave..." (Click to enlarge)
Catching the Wave of Technology in Education?
Get your surf board 'cuz it's a tsunami.
Media Literacy
Internet
Critical Evaluation Surveys and Resources Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators from Discovery School lists a plethora of resouces and activities to teach critical evaluation.
Ad Council PSA "Bulletin Board"
"Think Before You Post" Campaign
According to the Ad Council, which has teamed with the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the current goal of the third year of the Online Sexual Exploitation PSA campaign is "to make teen girls aware of the potential dangers of sharing and posting personal information online and of communicating with unfamiliar people to help reduce their risk of sexual victimization and abduction. The PSAs direct teen girls to 'Think Before You Post', and as with the previous two years, ask viewers and listeners to visit www.cybertipline.com, to get tips on how to prevent, detect, and report suspicious online behavior."
These two powerful public service announcements help open up dialogue as well as inform teens about the "permanence of posting."
Not only can media posted on the Internet be widely distributed and propagated, it also can be archived by such sites as Archive.org. Once students realized not only that they do not have control over who views or saves their postings but also that they do not a have full ability to delete it they are more likely to make more sensible and civil decisions when they post.
Ad Council PSA "Everyone Knows Your Name"
"Animal School" by RaisingSmallSouls.com
No Kangaroos, Please!
You'll find out why you don't want your child to be a kangaroo when you watch a beautiful and informing slideshow from Ellen C. Braun at RaisingSmallSouls.com. The site is chock-full of good words of advice on education and parenting from a mother of three and her husband who is a principal of a vocational school for at-risk teens.
This slideshow video reminds us of the diversity of learning styles and encourages us all to create ways of teaching and assessing children and students that best call forth the talents and abilities from our classrooms.
This collection of essays is available in a free e-book, compiled by Diana and James Oblinger at Educause and North Carolina state U, explores the Net Gen and the implications for institutions in areas such as teaching, service, learning space design, faculty development, and curriculum. Focused on post-secondary contexts,t his insightful book discusses the ways today's tech-familiar students think about and with technology and provides ways for teachers to help students succeed. Click the title or image to read this Educause book.
Curious to find out about virtual reality? Need a definition for "blog"? Want to know podcasts are being used in education? . . .but don't have a lot of time. Then check out EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative's "7 Things You Should Know About..." series. It provides concise information (only 2 pdf pages) on emerging learning technologies and related practices. Each brief focuses on a single technology or practice and describes: What it is, How it works, Where it is going, and Why it matters to teaching and learning.
Educators' Desk Reference From the Information Institute of Syracuse, the people who created AskERIC, the Gateway to Educational Materials, and the Virtual Reference Desk, the Educator's Reference Desk brings you the high-quality resources.
Free Federal Educational Resources Teaching and learning resources from federal agencies, including backgrounders, videos, and lesson plans.
Teacher Created Rubrics for Assessment From the University of Wisconsin-Stout, here is a variety of rubrics that may provide guidance to students and teachers in terms of authentic assessment.
Roobrix This web tool converts any rubric score into a percentage.
Habits of Mind Developed by Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick, Habits of Mind are qualities that facilitate success for students and adults in school and "everyday life as they are challenged by problems, dilemmas, paradoxes, and enigmas for which the solutions are not immediately apparent. Drawing on the Habits of Mind means knowing how to behave intelligently when you don't know the answers. It means not only having information, but also knowing how to act on it." The Habits of Mind consist of Persisting,Managing Impulsivity, Listening with Understanding and Empathy, Thinking Flexibly, Thinking About Thinking, Striving for Accuracy, Questioning and Posing Problems, Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations, Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision, Gathering Data Through All the Senses, Creating, Imagining, Innovating, Responding with Wonderment and Awe, Taking Reasonable Risks, Finding Humor, Thinking Independently, and Remaining Open to Continuous Learning.
OER Commons --Open Educational Resources A project of Creative Commons (see below), OER Commons is a teaching and learning network, from K-12 lesson plans to college courseware, from algebra to zoology, open to everyone to use and add to. Open Educational Resources, or OER, offer new ways to engage with free-to-use learning content.
Managed by Alfred Drake, PhD this is an index of guides and focus questions on a variety of classic texts.
Cyberbullying Research Center Cyberbullying can be defined as “Willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices.” The Cyberbullying Research Center is dedicated to providing up-to-date information about the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of cyberbullying among adolescents.
