10 Schools Encouraging Smartphones in the Classroom They’re not just for texting. Smartphones are quickly becoming a must-have addition to many lessons and classrooms. 10 innovative schools are already encouraging their use in creative ways. Thanks to the following article from onlinecolleges.org , we have a fresh look at 10 classrooms currently using smartphones in the classroom. Cell phones have long been a serious no-no in the classroom, and many schools, stating that they are a serious distraction for students , have banned them from campuses altogether. Yet there is a growing trend that is lifting the ban on smartphones and instead asking kids to use their phones and mobile devices as learning tools. Whether you’re still on the fence about the role of mobile technology in the classroom or are looking for ways to get inspired to use it in your own lessons, it pays to learn a bit more about how smartphones are currently being used for education.
Flipping Out in Fifth Grade! What a List!! 136 Interactive Educational Games By Subject Area What kid doesn't like a game? Here's a great way to support your lesson plans without losing your audience. Interactive games allow students to play, learn and interact with the game while having fun. Can't beat that, right? GeoGame- interactive geography game Geography Games- with 14 categories, including: cities of the United States, France, Mexico and Austria, you can have fun learning! Geography IQ-online world atlas "packed with geographic, economic, political, historical & cultural information". States Web Games- locate the state, place the state, state postal abbreviations, state capitals etc. Timeline-rearrange the events so that they are in chronological order SpellBee.org- for grades 2-6; compete with your peers in an online spelling bee Billy Bug- helps middle school kids learn coordinates MathDork- view 10 of 24 lessons for free MIND GAMESBrainbashers-brainteasers, puzzles, riddles, games & optical illusions Mindcipher- challenge yourself to brain teasers and logic puzzles
5 Reasons Not to Ban Social Networking in Schools With an understandable concern about preventing cyber-bullying some schools and local authorities take the nuclear option when it comes to social networking and ban those sites wholesale. I’m tweeting to the choir here – but here are 5 reasons why social networking sites, whether they be open or closed, have a valid and important contribution to make to teaching. 1) Banning Social Networking At School Won’t Stop Cyber-Bullying If anything it will move it from an environment which you at least some control and visibility to one where you have none whatsoever. 2) Children Need to Learn How to Use Social Media Safely Just as importantly, children need to be taught how to use social media safely and securely, and they can’t do this in a vacuum. 3) Anyway, What is a Social Networking Site These Days? If a social networking site is one where you have a profile, can mark a social connection and communicate with those people – well it seems like half the web is covered.
Flipped Classes: Dispelling Myths and Sharing What Works At the ISTE 2012 conference this week, Converge magazine caught up with a proponent of the flipped classroom model to talk about what the flipped class is and isn't. Science teacher Brian Bennett has been working on flipping his classroom for three years, first in South Korea and now at William Henry Harrison High School in Evansville, Ind. Keep reading to find out what he has to say. For those who don't know what a flipped classroom is, how would you define it? We did the panel today [Tuesday, June 26], and that was one of the questions. We all gave different answers. But also tagged onto what I'm doing — I want schools to evolve, I want classrooms to evolve where they've got flexible learning time. So our core idea is the same — how can we take that class time and bring it back in, and then what are we going to do with it? Explain exactly what the myths are and what a flipped class really looks like. Myth No. 1 is that all content should be through video. Find a buddy to work with.
New Research on Training Working Memory Skills | LearningWorks for Kids Building the cornerstone of your mind with new technologies If you find yourself forgetting why you are standing in front of the refrigerator, or where you left your cell phone when you came home from work, we’ve got good news! If your daughter can’t seem to remember simple directions such as to brush her teeth (even though you’ve told her a thousand times), or your son regularly forgets that baseball requires a glove and a hat, we’ve got good news! Until recently, psychologists and neuroscientists believed that Working Memory was a fixed ability, that there was very little that could be done to improve it. Working Memory, the capacity to hold information in mind as you are actively using it, is now understood to be more important to academic success than intelligence or specific training in reading, math, or writing. The latest research is showing us how Working Memory capacity can be dramatically increased.
How A Flipped Classroom Actually Works [Interview] What happens when the students have more control in the classroom? Flipped classrooms are being tested out around the world and we’ve featured a few examples in case you wanted to see who is flippin’ out. Until now, we didn’t have an in-depth look at the effects of a flipped classroom or answers to the big questions it raises. Thanks to Susan Murphy of Algonquin College (check out her awesome blog suzemuse.com !), we have our answers. She used the flipped classroom model for her First Year Video and Audio Production class which is part of the Interactive Multimedia Developer program. What inspired you to use the flipped classroom model? One of the big challenges I was having in my video production class was teaching the required software (Adobe Premiere Pro). I wasn’t sure if it was going to work – but I had to give it a shot! Have you gotten any feedback (positive or negative) on the video production class? I have had a lot of great feedback on the class.
Flipping The Classroom… A Goldmine of Research and Resources To Keep You On Your Feet Greetings from Boston and BLC12 (Alan November’s Building Learning Communities Conference ). If you wish to follow the happenings at BLC12 check out the hashtag #BLC12 on Twitter. Welcome to another post rich in resources on the Flipped Classroom. If you have come here looking for links that will guide you to videos and multimedia to use in a Flipped Classroom you will find that in the second half of this post. Perhaps you have tried a little Flip of your own and want to learn more. Quick Note – I have been getting a lot of request asking if I will make a visit to your school, organization, or conference. Introduction To The Flip Many educators are beginning to become aware of the growing teaching method referred to as “Flipping The Classroom”. You see, at first this definition does make a lot of sense, and like so many “best practices” I see great value in the idea. Yes, I am a proponent of incorporating various multimedia and online learning in a blended environment. Resources Research
Emotion Based Teaching Meets Artificial Intelligence Have you ever been frustrated while trying to learn something new? If you are like the rest of us, the process became infinitely harder after getting upset. It’s natural, we are human after all and as humans, emotions play a critical role in the learning process. Emotions have an impact on education, arguably, more than any other component. They can determine how driven a student is towards school, or how removed from the learning experience they could become. Studies have shown that students learn and perform better when they are happy, feel secure, and are excited about the content which they are learning. The Conundrum Every excellent teacher possesses an innate ability to understand their students’ emotions and adjust their teaching style to accommodate. Harnessing The Power Of Emotions Emotion sensing technology may provide teachers with the tools they need to bridge the ‘homework gap’. Emotion Based Teaching
FlippedLearning - EduVision The 20 Best Pinterest Boards About Education Technology Pinterest is quickly becoming one of the biggest sources inspiration and innovation when it comes to cooking, design, and education. That’s right, education is a prominent fixture on Pinterest now and that, of course, means that education technology plays a starring role. In an effort to help curate the massive amount of Pinterest boards about education technology, you can use the following list as a jumping off point to start your Pinterest journey. The following boards are curated by teachers, admins, and other education enthusiasts. You’ll likely find some new blogs, tools, and ideas among them. Don’t forget to check out the Edudemic Pinterest board where you can keep track of all the stuff we’re up to. Patricia Brown : Patricia showcases a myriad of videos, articles, tutorials, and lots of other resources all about education technology. We want to see what YOU are pinning!