21st Century Learning: Will Richardson: Connective Teaching: How the Read/Write Web Challenges Traditional Practice Voice for the VoicelessIn keeping with my context filter (Homeless Children and Children of Poverty) for the Connectivism conference I re-listened to Will's presentation. Will says that networks are crucial and the best way to stay current is to network with other passionate learners who want to learn the things you do. As educators we must have a willingness to share and be transparent. He tells us that recognizing patterns is huge. As educators we should look at the distributed conversations that are out there -- which are not linear-- and synthesize ideas, pick out patterns of ideas and connect them. Why should we be doing this? This is so true for students of poverty or even for students whose parents (regardless of socio-economic status) are not connected at home. Ask YourselfAsk yourself- are the current methods and curriculum being used at your school going to equip a high poverty student to climb out of the circumstance that has been forced upon them?
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills - Communication and Collaboration Communicate Clearly Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts Listen effectively to decipher meaning, including knowledge, values, attitudes and intentions Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g. to inform, instruct, motivate and persuade) Utilize multiple media and technologies, and know how to judge their effectiveness a priori as well as assess their impact Communicate effectively in diverse environments (including multi-lingual)Collaborate with Others Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams Exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions made by each team member Additional resources are listed below: 1. Online index of many communication related topics and resources 2. 3. 4. 5.
Game-Based Learning Units for the Everyday Teacher Game-based learning (GBL) is getting a lot press. It is an innovative practice that is working to engage kids in learning important 21st century skills and content. Dr. Myths About Game-Based Learning First, let's clarify a couple things. Gee refers to teachers as "learning designers," and I couldn't agree more. Inspired by the work I've seen, here is an overview of components and structure for the everyday teacher to implement game-based learning Overall Structure: Individual Quests and Boss Levels A game-based learning unit should consist of both smaller quests and more robust boss levels. Boss levels are more rigorous missions that require students to synthesize the content and skills learned in the quests. Overall Theme You may have already noticed that all the quests are related under a thematic idea of question. Need to Know Game-Based Learning demands a "need to know" the content. Trial and Error, Timely Feedback and then Success Incentives Avatar Part of gaming is role-playing.
100 Awesome Classroom Videos to Learn New Teaching Techniques With so many good teachers out there, it’s fortunate they can share their knowledge via video on the Internet. From the funny to the poignant, these glimpses into the lives of teachers and their students will keep you entertained while learning a little something as well. Whether you are a new teacher storing up tips and tricks or an experienced teacher who could just use a fresh perspective, you are sure to find something helpful among these videos. The Basics Reading, storytelling, math, and science all get coverage with these videos that show how some Teaching Storytelling in the Classroom. Myst ‘Exile’ in the Classroom. The Arts From visual arts to music to drama, these videos will offer suggestions and stimulate creativity when teaching art to your students. Footprint dancing at the Nest. Getting Physical Movement doesn’t have to be reserved just for PE class. Student Body: Classroom Exercises Make Learning Lively. Education and Technology Turning on Technology: Ferryway School.
Getting to Know a Digital Textbook by Terence W. Cavanaugh When I switched to open source digital textbooks, I created a series of activities to help students better learn how to use the textbook in digital form. I added a textbook item to the course menu. Then I adapted the textbook to be available in a few formats, providing access to the book not only online, but also so that it would be available to them in downloadable versions in ePub and AZW so that they could be read offline and on ebook readers and smart phones. The students learn more about digital textbooks through an activity I call, "getting to know your textbook" (see lesson below). As an online option for text-to-speech, students are shown how to use University of Washington’s WebAnywhere ( Students are shown how they can use note-taking software as an option to collect information from a book. Lesson/Activity: Getting To Know Your Digital Textbook OBJECTIVE(s): 1. 2. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. a. b. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Online video lessons flipping classrooms left and right In soothing tones, he explains everything from chemistry to credit default swaps, from algebra to economics, to about 2 million students a month, imparting roughly 200,000 lessons a day. And Salman Khan never loses his voice. As an educator, he's just now finding it, as the improbable creator of a free, Web-based video library whose pitch-perfect approach to bedeviling concepts has vaulted him into the education reform conversation — in Colorado and worldwide. "It's weird for me," says the 34-year-old Khan. That task has expanded a bit since he first lashed together an online algebra lesson to help a cousin. Using technology to reach schools and homes around the world as either a stand-alone curriculum or a supplemental tool, the nonprofit Khan Academy (khanacademy.org) has doubled its users from over just three months ago and increased its audience 10-fold over last fall. Actually, the celebrity part is coming — and quickly. He also recently appeared on "The Colbert Report."
5 Myths about mobile learning [and how to overcome them] Photo by stefg74 Here are some common mLearning myths I regularly come across in English language teacher training – and some myth-busting lesson plans. Myth 1: Mobile learning means learning via texting with mobile phones Mobile phones (or cell phones) are just one of the myriad devices that can be used for learning. Myth 2: Mobile learning means ‘learning on the move’ This is one of the most common definitions of mobile learning I hear. *Thanks to Neil Ballantyne for alerting me to this theory, which states that all learners will have a long bus ride to work/school in which they will want to look at flashcards or similar Myth 3: Mobile learning means learning with apps Another common misconception. access video rich content reviewing mobile phones, and thenproduce their own audio reviews via mobile devices,which peers and teacher can then comment on. Myth 4: Mobile learning means content delivered in ‘bite-sized’ chunks This relates to Myth 3 above. What about you?
Free Technology for Teachers 100 Excellent Online Lectures for Educators | Best Colleges Online Posted on Monday July 5, 2010 by Staff Writers By Lauren Bailey As an educator, you know how important it is to continue to learn throughout your life. With this collection of videos, you can learn all about teaching, learning, and the policies of schools. Check out our list to find the best online lectures for teachers and other educators. General Get a general look into education with these lectures. Does College Really Matter? Learning & Teaching Styles These lectures study and share learning and teaching styles. Gever Tulley Teaches Life Lessons Through Tinkering: Gever Tulley’s lecture is all about teaching through tinkering. Improvement Watch these lectures to find out how education can be improved. Focus on Educational Innovation: Watch this panel for a discussion on educational innovation. Open & Shared Education These lectures focus on sharing education openly. Learning Through Remixing: See how remixing can be used for education. Creativity These lectures support creativity. School Systems
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