Digital Differentiation Technology is a tool that can be used to help teachers facilitate learning experiences that address the diverse learning needs of all students and help them develop 21st Century Skills. At it's most basic level, digital tools can be used to help students find, understand and use information. When combined with student-driven learning experiences fueled by Essential Questions offering flexible learning paths, it can be the ticket to success. Here is a closer look at three components of effectively using technology as a tool for digital differentiation. Note: The interactive graphics you see below have been updated. The goal is to design student-driven learning experiences that are fueled by standards-based Essential Questions and facilitated by digital tools to provide students with flexible learning paths. Essential Questions: Student-driven learning experiences should be driven by standards-based Essential Questions. Teacher Facilitated Learning Experiences:
What Will Education Look Like in 2020? In December 2009, I made the foolhardy decision to publish one of those “ways the world will change” blog posts that are most commonly passed around the Internet at the end of particularly eventful decades or millennia. Cranking up the volume, I titled it “21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020.” After predicting the demise or obsolescence of everything from homework to paperbacks, I was subjected to a slew of comments ranging from bemusement to verbal battery. Such is the life of a blogger — a blogging educator, no less. Eyes Wide Open Why did this post cause such a stir? When I look at those predictions today, I’m struck by my naiveté. Schools are full of obsolete things: cassette players, Soviet-era political maps, curricula that treat technology as auxiliary to content, the idea that technology will save education (as opposed to the idea that relevance will). In the digital age, technology is the access point to relevance. Forward Thinking As for that blog post?
The Free eBook: How to become an eLearning Professional By Connie Malamed I never think of myself as an expert. Gaining expertise is an ongoing journey of continuous learning where there is no end in sight. Our field is particularly broad and deep. It encompasses aspects of cognitive science, learning theory, user experience, design thinking, human communication, user interface design, visual design, writing and scripting, marketing, business, information technology and probably many other domains. No one person can retain all of this information and no one person can be competent in all of the related skills. If you think of all the people in this domain as one giant mind, you can see how we gain expertise together. To become a “pro” in this career then, involves getting involved with people in our field and outside of it. Becoming a pro also means staying up-to-date and this is easily done through social media platforms. Even if you work alone, there’s no excuse for remaining isolated. Connie Malamed Company: Connie Malamed Consulting
Paper, we don't need no paper! Tools and tips for going paperless Going paperless - it's good for the trees, good for budgets, increases efficiency and organization, and makes life easier in many ways. But how do you go paperless? I used to use paper planners (Franklin Quest) until I got my first PDA (Palm IIIxe) in 2000. The first thing you need is electronics. Another piece of hardware is a scanner, especially one that has document feed capabilities (vs. a flatbed scanner). Apps and software are the next piece of the paperless puzzle. Once you have your services and apps set up, you can access your files and data anywhere. You can do almost everything online now, including banking. If you don't have ready access to a mobile device, but spend most of your time near a computer, you can always print out your calendar/schedule for the week, along with your to do list and space for notes. 1 page of paper or so per week is better than tons of paper. If you like taking notes with a pen and paper, take a look at the LiveScribe smartpen. Related:
untitled What is the Intelligent Practice service? An online practice service, modelled on exam questions, which allows learners to practise the types of questions they may find in their tests and exams. This practice service is well integrated with the Siyavula textbooks and these resources work together to ensure learners excel in Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Learners are able to practise using their mobile phones or computers. How does Intelligent Practice help me to excel in Maths and Science? A multitude of questions ranging from basic exercises to exam preparation. When you are happy with your answer you can check it.Intelligent Practice marks itself so that you can immediately see where you may have gone wrong.The fully worked solution and all necessary steps are shown to you.You are then given the option to try another question like this one or move on to another question.All questions are generated from sophisticated templates ensuring that practice is never-ending. Your dashboard
Educating the Net Generation The Net Generation has grown up with information technology. The aptitudes, attitudes, expectations, and learning styles of Net Gen students reflect the environment in which they were raised—one that is decidedly different from that which existed when faculty and administrators were growing up. This collection explores the Net Gen and the implications for institutions in areas such as teaching, service, learning space design, faculty development, and curriculum. Diana G. Please Note: This PDF contains the entire book with embedded hyperlinks of URLs, endnotes, and index terms, plus bookmarks to all chapters and sections. Table of Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Index Copyright Information Authors retain the copyright to their intellectual content, with EDUCAUSE owning the copyright to the collected publication. Permission is granted to copy or disseminate the document, either in print or electronic format, if the following conditions are met:
20 Must-Have Educational Resources For All Teachers Edudemic often features posts providing a list of top resources for a particular category. Recently, the site gettingsmart.com posted the names of the LAUNCHedu finalists chosen by the SXSWedu® Conference, offering even more resources for the Edudemic staff to consider! On March 7, 2012, they will choose winners after a full day of presentations by the finalists. There are so many sites and programs on the Internet already, but this competition just goes to show that the need for educational resources is still great. Necessity is the mother of invention, they say. The cliche works because it is true. I thought and pondered, considered and reconsidered, and researched and revised a list in my head this week. First, however, I created a wordle using some of the lists the editors have created recently. I divided my resources into categories, based on my interests as a teacher. Devices iPad – The iPad provides access to e-texts and incredible educational apps. Resources for Lesson Planning
Learning Spaces Space, whether physical or virtual, can have a significant impact on learning. Learning Spaces focuses on how learner expectations influence such spaces, the principles and activities that facilitate learning, and the role of technology from the perspective of those who create learning environments: faculty, learning technologists, librarians, and administrators. Information technology has brought unique capabilities to learning spaces, whether stimulating greater interaction through the use of collaborative tools, videoconferencing with international experts, or opening virtual worlds for exploration. Please note: In addition to the e-book's core chapters on learning space design principles (chapters 1-13) , this site also offers case studies illustrating those principles (chapters 14-43), including links to examples of innovative learning spaces. Diana G. Table of Contents Foreword by Diana G. PART 1: Principles and Practices Chapter 1. Chapter 2. Chapter 3. Chapter 4. Chapter 5.
The 100 Best Web 2.0 Classroom Tools Chosen By You The Wordle of this list! (Click image to enlarge) One of the most popular posts on Edudemic in 2010 was The 35 Best Web 2.0 Classroom Tools Chosen By You and I felt it might be time for an update to that list for 2011. In order to put together a list of the best Web 2.0 classroom tools, I polled my Twitter followers, Facebook fans (are they still called fans? Likes?) There were more than 900 submissions but many were duplicates. 10 Must Read Books on The 21st Century Literacies February, 2015 The literacy landscape is rapidly evolving to the extent that we can no longer expect what it will be like in the next coming years. Regardless of the nomenclature, whether you call them new literacies, emerging literacies, 21st century literacies , the traditional concept of literacy has definitely undergone so much transformations and modifications in the last two decades especially in the light of the the new technological advancements and the emergence of new forms of using and interacting with text. Literacy now entails more than just being able to decode (read) and encode (write) text, but also includes the ability to express and communicate through a multimodal system of signs, the ability to analyze, evaluate, synthesize, critically appraise and share different forms of information. For those of you interested in delving deep into the concept of new literacies, the academic works below are definitely a must read. 5- Literacy in the New Media Age (Literacies).