Chris Lehmann - Inquiry: The Very First Step In the Process of Learning Chris Lehmann is the founding principal of the Science Leadership Academy (SLA) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In November of 2012, Chris was named one of Dell's #Inspire100 - one of the 100 people changing the world using Social Media. In April of 2012, Chris won the Lindback Award for Excellence in Principal Leadership in the School District of Philadelphia. In September of 2011, Chris was honored by the White House as a Champion of Change for his work in education reform. SLA is built on the notion that inquiry is the very first step in the process of learning. Jump to: Resources | Chat & Group Notes | Questions | Participants
5 Tools to Help Students Learn How to Learn Helping students learn how to learn: That’s what most educators strive for, and that’s the goal of inquiry learning. That skill transfers to other academic subject areas and even to the workplace where employers have consistently said that they want creative, innovative and adaptive thinkers. Inquiry learning is an integrated approach that includes kinds of learning: content, literacy, information literacy, learning how to learn, and social or collaborative skills. Students think about the choices they make throughout the process and the way they feel as they learn. Those observations are as important as the content they learn or the projects they create. “We want students thinking about their thinking,” said Leslie Maniotes a teacher effectiveness coach in the Denver Public Schools and one of the authors of Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century. “When they are able to see where they came from and where they got to it is very powerful for them.”
Great Teaching Means Letting Go Great Teaching Means Letting Go by Grant Wiggins, Ed.D, Authentic Education My greatest learning as a teacher came on the soccer field. We had been working for a few weeks on the same key ‘moves’ on the field related to creating ‘space’. After a few practices, the team looked good in the drills – they’ve got it! There are two vital lessons here about learning: Transfer is the bottom-line goal of all learning, not scripted behavior.Transfer means that a learner can draw upon and apply from allof what was learned, as the situation warrants, not just do one move at a time in response to a prompt. In a word: autonomy. Put negatively, the more coaches and teachers prompt/remind/scaffold, over and over, without a deliberate and explicit plan for release of responsibility, the more students will flounder in situations demanding autonomy. Everywhere I go I see way too much scaffolded and prompted teaching – through twelfth grade. But, Grant – surely with little kids… No! 1. 2. 3.
36 Core Teacher Apps For Inquiry Learning With iPads 36 Core Teacher Apps For Inquiry Learning With iPads The interest in inquiry-based learning seems to ebb and flow based on–well, it’s not clear why it ever ebbs. In short, it is a student-centered, Constructivist approach to learning that requires critical thinking, and benefits from technology, collaboration, resourcefulness, and other modern learning skills that never seem to fall out of favor themselves. Regardless, St Oliver Plunkett Primary School has put together two very useful images that can help you populate your iPad–or classroom of iPads–with apps that support both inquiry-based learning (the second image below), and a more general approach to pedagogy based on Apple’s uber-popular tablet (the top image). The original pdf for the first file can be downloaded here. 36 Core Teacher Apps For Inquiry Learning With iPads; image attribution St.
Jennifer Rivers' Blog How BYOD Programs Can Fuel Inquiry Learning Digital Tools Erin Scott Launching a Bring Your Own Device program can be both exhilarating and scary. “Instead of this just being a technology initiative, it really is an instructional initiative, so all of us from different departments can get on the same page,” said Tim Clark, coordinator of instructional technology for Forsyth County Schools in Georgia. Forsyth started out by creating a learner profile, a set of criteria the school district wanted students to learn while in school. “What we are trying to do is get to transformative use of tech, where kids are doing things they wouldn’t be able to do without the tech.” “Kids already know how to use their devices, but they don’t know how to learn with their devices,” Clark said in an edWeb webinar. To achieve that level of decision making, school culture has to shift to one that encourages an on-going conversation, often filtered through devices. And it allows cash-strapped schools more flexibility. Related
A Case for Curiosity Every year, five million children enter kindergarten armed with one word: "Why?" They continuously ask questions in what seems like an unending loop. On the other side, parents, caretakers, and teachers do their best to come up with answers to manage this kiddie-inquisition. Yet there's no allaying it. Early-childhood research says that we have a curious scientific nature from the beginning of life. But something happens as children get older. Many great thinkers and artists lament the act of forgetting one's innate nature. Today, the need for curious people has heightened. Nurturing Curiosity It's time to make a recommitment to curiosity, and all that takes is a few small acts. In fact, Isidor Rabi's mother asked him this every day, and he later won a Nobel Prize in physics. Stay Hungry. Some children already understand that they've inherited a curious mindset, and they do their best to remind adults. So make space for asking questions.
Personalized Learning Personalized learning is instruction that offers pedagogy, curriculum, and learning environments to meet the individual student’s needs. The experience is tailored to learning preferences and the specific interests of different learners. In a personalized learning environment, the learning objectives and content, as well as the method and pace, may all vary. Personalization also encompasses differentiated instruction that supports student progress based on subject matter mastery. Read a report and key findings from the Software& Information Industry Association about innovation and redesigning education for personalization. Personalized learning is non-linear The way people learn is ‘messy’ and intensely personal –research has shown that it doesn’t happen in a straight line or easy progression. Read a white paper from the Center for Digital Learning that covers current and future pathways to personalized learning. Developing a personalized learning plan Technology and personalized learning
Plagiarism Scavenger Hunt Examples: I would be plagiarizing if I were to write an essay about the walrus and said: The walrus' other characteristic features are equally useful. As their favorite meals, particularly shellfish, are found near the dark ocean floor, walruses use their extremely sensitive whiskers, called mustacial vibrissae, as detection devices. As their favorite meals, particularly shellfish, are found near the dark ocean floor, walruses use their extremely sensitive whiskers, called mustacial vibrissae, as detection devices. Why is this plagiarism? #1 is an example of plagiarism because I took the sentences directly from this National Geographic Website. Remember, even though you learned from the walrus site and wrote sentences in your own words, the information still does not belong to you! How do I avoid plagiarism? Plagiarism Scavenger Hunt Activity The Plagiarism Scavenger Hunt assignment will teach you more about plagiarism. Instructions: Click here to download the worksheet for your answers.
6033244 orig Exploring Plagiarism, Copyright, and Paraphrasing ReadWriteThink couldn't publish all of this great content without literacy experts to write and review for us. If you've got lessons plans, videos, activities, or other ideas you'd like to contribute, we'd love to hear from you. More Find the latest in professional publications, learn new techniques and strategies, and find out how you can connect with other literacy professionals. More Teacher Resources by Grade Your students can save their work with Student Interactives. More Home › Classroom Resources › Lesson Plans Lesson Plan