BYOT? Bring it on | An international forum for all schools seeking to make the best use of BYOT. 9 Characteristics Of 21st Century Learning The label of “21st Century learning” is vague, and is an idea that we here at TeachThought like to take a swing at as often as possible, including: –weighing the magic of technology with its incredible cost and complexity –underscoring the potential for well thought-out instructional design –considering the considerable potential of social media platforms against its apparent divergence from academic learning Some educators seek out the ideal of a 21st century learning environment constantly, while others prefer that we lose the phrase altogether, insisting that learning hasn’t changed, and good learning looks the same whether it’s the 12th or 21st century. At TeachThought, we tend towards the tech-infused model, but do spend time exploring the limits and challenges of technology, the impact of rapid technology change, and carefully considering important questions before diving in head-first. The size of the circles on the map are intended to convey priority. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Secrets of Lost Empires | Medieval Siege | Destroy the Castle by Dennis Gaffney The trebuchet was one of the most devastating weapons of the Middle Ages. During medieval sieges, this destruction machine crushed castle walls. Using trial and error, medieval engineers adjusted the trebuchet to make sure its missile hit the castle wall—and destroyed it. NOVA's science game, "Destroy the Castle," is very much like the real thing. stone ball weight sling length counterweight design distance from the castle whether to add wheels Build it right, and you will crush the wall. Build it wrong, though, and you may have to face some painful consequences. Special thanks to Jim and Fran Sammons for their help in designing "Destroy the Castle." Medieval Arms Race | NOVA Builds a Trebuchet | Life in a Castle Destroy the Castle | Resources | Transcript Medieval Siege | Pharaoh's Obelisk | Easter Island | Roman Bath | China Bridge | Site Map
4 Essential Rules Of 21st Century Learning 4 Essential Rules Of 21st Century Learning by Jennifer Rita Nichols The term “21st century” has become an integral part of educational thinking and planning for the future. Various studies have shown us that rote memorization is not an effective learning strategy, and that teacher-centered classrooms may not be the most efficiently structured ones for student engagement. However, despite learning about the skills that students will need to develop to become successful in the 21st century, as well as what beliefs about education may be worth hanging onto or throwing away, schools and teachers are left trying to figure out what their role needs to be in the education of their 21st century students. Once upon a time, the role of the educator was to prepare students for the specific tasks they would be required to complete (be it a trade, craft, or profession). Nowadays, we don’t live in the same world. So then, what is the role of education in the 21st century? Society has changed. 1. 2. 3.
Code Kingdoms 18 Ways to Secure Parent Permission to Use Technology Many of you have asked for permission form samples, so here is a copy of a list I have compiled a list to reference as part of my upcoming book, Collaborative Writing in the Cloud from Eye on Education. As always, ask what will help you, I'm here to serve. Remember, I'm a teacher, not a lawyer, and this is not intended to give any legal advice. As always, check any permission forms you use with your local administrators and local counsel. I do hope this list will help dispel the myth that you can't do that. There are teachers doing creative things all around the world and getting permission. I will update this list in 2 places: 1. This is an online art museum for student work. This is the photo permisison form used by the state of New Jersey schools.
The Epic BYOD Toolchest (51 Tools You Can Use Now) PowerSchool Learning: (Previously Haiku Learning.) This is a full learning management system (LMS) that I’m trying to get our school to adopt. It’s multiplatform and robust, which makes it a great fit for our BYOD environment. It also works on top of Google Classroom, so I have all those features too, plus my grade book. Google Classroom: Teachers are moving in droves to Google Classroom. There are many other content-sharing platforms, like Moodle, Canvas, and CourseSites. Screencasting and Capturing What Happens in Class If you’re going to share and interact with your students in the electronic and physical spaces (as you should), you must learn how to screencast. In some exciting news, Apple has announced that iOS 11 (out later this year) will include screen recording capabilities and new screenshot features. Screencast-O-Matic: This is my go-to app. Cloud Syncing Dropbox: If you shoot video and need to get it onto your computer, Dropbox is essential. Expression Blogging Presentations
The 10 Skills Modern Teachers Must Have The above image is 8.5×11″ so you can print it out. PDF is available here . There’s been a lot of talk about 21st century learners, 21st century teachers, and connected classrooms. Simple. In my experience, I’ve seen teachers attempt to integrate 30 iPads into their classroom by handing them out and then trying to figure out which apps are worth using. In order to do this, you’ll need skills modern teachers must have. 1) Build Your PLN Whether you call it a ‘personal learning network’ or a ‘professional learning network’ is not important. 2) Establish Real Relationships Whether it’s online or offline, the ability to establish real relationships is critical to any modern teacher. 3) Understand Where Technology Fits In Education As mentioned above, we are simply deluged with new tech toys for education on a daily basis. If you can’t figure out how a digital tool helps you in under 15 seconds, you don’t need it. 4) Know How To Find Useful Resources 5) Manage Your Online Reputation 7) Slow Down
Excellent Resources on BYOD for Teachers Mobile technology is making explosive growth into our schools and classrooms.There is now a growing trend towards taking advantage of mobile devices to inspire learning and promote students engagement, but the problem is that school districts can not cover the costs of these devices and to provide every student with a gadget would be out of their affordability particularly with the shrinking budgets being allocated for high tech materials.However, several initiatives have been taken to counter this financial block facing the implementation of mobile technology in classroom and one of these initiatives is called BYOD ( Bring Your Own Device). BYOD is all about students bringing their Mobile gadgets from home ( like smartphones, tablets. laptops etc ) and use them for educational purposes inside the classroom. In this way students will be learning using the technology they are already familiar with and the shortage of mobile technology will be covered. 1- Getting Started with BYOD
Educational Technology and Mobile Learning: The 33 Digital Skills Every 21st Century Teacher should Have By EdTech Team Updated on march 2, 2015 : The original list that was created in 2011 comprised 33 skills , after reviewing it we decided to do some merging and finally ended up with the 20 skills below. The 21st century teacher should be able to : 1- Create and edit digital audio Here are some tools for teachers to develop this skill :Free Audio Tools for Teachers 2- Use Social bookmarking to share resources with and between learners Here are some tools for teachers to develop this skill : A List of Best Bookmarking Websites for Teachers 3- Use blogs and wikis to create online platforms for students Here are some tools for teachers to develop this skill : Great Tools to Create Protected Blogs and Webpages for your Class 4- Exploit digital images for classroom use Here are some tools for teachers to develop this skill :Web Tools to Edit Pictures without Installing any softwareTools to Convert Photos into Cartoons