7 Global Education Trends To Know About The education system is constantly evolving to cater to modern needs, new research findings and society. It is the government’s Department for Education that is responsible for educational policies and schools, as well as childcare and child protection. There is always something in the news about the education system changing. The earliest form of schools began around 600-1100AD/BC, during the Roman era and it can be fair to say that the way in which teaching is run, has changed a lot since. But what are the latest trends that teachers should know about? Higher education funding This has been the most significant change and has affected thousands of pupils across the UK. Increase in academies The coalition government is expanding the Academies Programme. Focus on English Baccalaureate (EBacc) Many teachers have, to date, been told to focus their teaching on numeracy and literacy but now there has been an increase in pupils taking English Baccalaureate subjects. O-level style exams
Molecules | Sunset Lake Software Molecules is an application for the iPhone, iPod touch, and now iPad that allows you to view three-dimensional renderings of molecules and manipulate them using your fingers. You can rotate the molecules by moving your finger across the display, zoom in or out by using two-finger pinch gestures, or pan the molecule by moving two fingers across the screen at once. The combination of the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad's unique multitouch input system and the built-in OpenGL ES 3-D graphics capabilities enable you to feel like you are manipulating the molecules themselves with your fingers. New molecules can be downloaded from the RCSB Protein Data Bank ( an international repository of biological molecules and their 3-D structures, or NCBI's PubChem, a public database of compounds. Molecules can be downloaded directly to your handheld device and stored there for later viewing. Molecules is free and its source code is available under the BSD license. Related posts
What 4,500 Professors and Administrators Think About Online Learning What do professors and administrators really think about online education? Inside Higher Ed and the Babson Survey Research Group asked more than 4,500 of them. Here are three important takeaways from their survey. Faculty Are Afraid of Online Education Fifty-eight percent of faculty surveyed feel pessimistic about online education. Faculty Are Wary of Online Learning at For-Profit Institutions A full 79 percent of faculty surveyed agreed or strongly agreed when asked if they have "concerns about the quality of online instruction offered by for-profit institutions.” Academia is not like the business world, in which an online startup can trounce an established business by building in the cloud and delivering commodity goods with less overhead. (Read Foster’s full post on ReadWrite.) Online Education Doesn’t Pay the Bills The survey reports a huge disconnect between faculty and administrators on the topic of compensation. We encourage you to download the full study for more information.
Technology and Education | Box of Tricks Posted by José Picardo on September 4, 2012 Introducing new vocabulary in an engaging way is one of the greatest challenges for language teachers. Remembering vocabulary is arguably the greatest challenge for language learners. That’s why I’m always on the look out for new and exciting ways to present vocabulary items to students in a memorable way. Wordfoto is an iPhone and iPod app that allows you turn any photograph into a mosaic made up of your chosen words, which can then be used to reinforce vocabulary learning or other concepts, not just in languages, but in a variety of other subjects. Once you have created your picture-mosaic, you can tweak the colour and fonts further by choosing from some preset themes. If you don’t own an iPhone or an iPod – or if you don’t fancy spending £1.49 ($1.99) – you could consider Tagxedo, a browser based tool that allows you to achieve similar results for free. What do you think? José Picardo
35 Digital Tools That Work With Bloom's Taxonomy Integrating technology in the classroom and engaging students in higher order thinking creates the ultimate learning experience for students. Bloom’s Taxonomy and digital tools creates an innovative learning environment where students are engaged in their assignments. The following is a list of digital tools as it relates to Bloom’s Taxonomy. 1. For a sample lesson using digital tools with the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy visit my post at: .
What Students Can Actually DO With An iPad Online, in workshops, and even with friends, I frequently get asked What can the iPad actually do? as a sort of challenge to the worth of the device. I would rather that they ask, What can you actually do with an iPad? So last week, in preparing for the New England Reading Association Conference and the NYSCATE Mobile Learning Summit , I decided to change my approach. However, before addressing that question, I asked not only WHY iPads but WHY Technology ? I want my students to communicate in complex and modern ways. What does this tangibly look like in the classroom? I want my students to demonstrate their knowledge of the parts of a story. Learning Objectives: In addition to learning the story elements, students learn… To write a constructive review To assess the credibility of an author or source To create a sense of visual hierarchy for their information To document their sources Project: Book Posters – students create a movie-style poster to advertise their book.
5 Can’t Miss Mobile Learning Resources If you are looking to integrate iPads and iPods into your classroom curriculum, this is the site for you! It has an entire section of apps that work well in the classroom. It also has user guides, pod casts and a user agreement. Another great aspect of this site is that it highlights tips and tricks for use in the classroom. This resource provides a vast array of mobile learning information. Jerry Blumengarten has collected resources on the use of cell phones in the classroom. This is a site that focuses on all types of mobile learning devices, but primarily iOS devices. This site is unique in that it provides app reviews from teachers and students. If you know of any other great mobile learning resources, please add it to the list.
Breaking Research: Most Apps Bad - EdTech Researcher My EdTechTeacher colleagues Beth, Greg, and Tom have been pouring over educational apps. Lots and lots of apps. As practitioners, their instinct is that the vast majority of educational apps are terrible. Shovel-ware. Flashcards. So, we've developed a framework for thinking about teaching with tablets that focuses on using a handful of curation and media creation apps: one for annotation, one for curating, one for web browsing, one for audio creation, one for video creation, one for screencasting, and so forth. But, of course, our position is based on practitioner-wisdom and experience—both of which I value highly—rather than research—which I also value highly. So, I looked forward with great anticipation to receiving a report from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop and the New America Foundation on Pioneering Digital Literacy in the Wild West.
10 Ways To Integrate Technology Using A Single Computer “Can I integrate technology with only one technology device?” is a question many educators ask. You will be amazed at how much technology you can integrate with one device available in your classroom. When I started on my integration of technology, I only had my classroom’s desktop and my cell phone. I was in a high school, so most of my students had mobile devices. Quick Tips Below I have listed ways you can integrate technology in both situations: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Engagement & Participation The goal of integrating technology in your classroom is to get students engaged and participating in learning. For classrooms with students who have personal mobile devices, integrate technology with the use of their mobile devices. For more ideas on fun ways to integrate technology into your classroom, visit me at funintegratingtechnology .
10 Important Questions To Ask Before Using iPads in Class Digital Tools Teaching Strategies Lenny Gonzales By Terry Heick When it comes to deciding how or whether to use iPads, schools typically focus on budget issues, apps, networking logistics, check-in and check-out procedures, school and district tech-use policies, hardware precautions, and aspects of classroom management. But it’s also important to think about instructional use, and to that end, consider the following questions. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Also worth considering: How can parents, families, and local businesses be involved in procuring, managing, or integrating iPads in the classroom? These kinds of questions can help you get the most out of the iPad’s use in your classroom. This post originally appeared on TeachThought, where Terry Heick is the director of curriculum. Related Explore: iPad, Mobile Learning
How to design assessments that promote the learning process Assessments are critical elements of instruction; they determine accomplishment of lesson objectives. However, you can design assessments to be more than an evaluation of what has been learned. You can design them to be a part of the learning process itself. Authentic assessments require learners to apply their new knowledge and skills to real-world challenges, which promote retention and enhance problem-solving skills. An introduction to the practice of authentic assessment. Let’s look at 5 characteristics of authentic assessments to see how. Authentic Task : An assignment given to students designed to assess their ability to apply standard-driven knowledge and skills to real-world challenges - Authentic Assessment Toolbox Creating an original deliverable Many assessments ask learners to choose a “correct answer” from a limited number of choices. Learner formatting of the assessment One principle of adult learning theory is to allow learners to determine their own learning goals. Reflective