6 tips for innovative teaching in a digital age Veteran educator Ann McMullan offers her best advice for innovative teaching that all educators can try Ed. note: In partnership with Lesson Planet, we asked their professional development resource arm, PD Learning Network, for the most popular videos on their site. We’ll be featuring a limited number of these, one a week, each Monday. Learning to change your teaching practice in today’s digital-first world is a bit like learning a foreign language, to hear ed-tech vet Ann McMullan tell it. McMullan, who is the former executive director of educational technology at Klein ISD in Texas, was responsible for rolling out that district’s massive one-to-one program several years ago. Experiences will differ. Engagement can make a big difference. Embrace the changing role of the teacher. Empower yourself. Even a little learning can go a long way. Every teacher is capable. For more tips, check out McMullan’s 10 questions to ask before you go one-to-one.
The Best Education Technology Resources We’re building up a resource that we think you’ll enjoy. It’s a curated set of lists designed to showcase the best education technology resources you should know about. From apps to laptops to tablets and beyond, we’re working on building the must-have guide to all things education technology. To check out one of the lists (or to add to a list – which is fun and easy to do!) Step 1: Choose a list below (click an image)Step 2: Browse the list to learn about new and popular technology.Step 3: Share your favorites! The Best Education Apps (iOS) Education apps are everywhere. The Best Education Apps (Android) With the announcement of Google Play for Education, it’s no secret that Google wants Android to be a big part of every classroom. The Best Tablets For Education Tablets like the iPad are increasingly popular in classrooms around the globe. The Best Laptops For Teachers Laptops are still one of the most important features of education technology.
Making Lectures More Interactive -- Campus Technology Teaching and Learning Making Lectures More Interactive An app called SKIES transforms a traditional lecture into a shared learning experience. SKIES works as a sort of shared bulletin board, in which instructors and students post class materials that are linked together in a "class tree." In his nearly two decades of teaching biology at the California Institute of Technology, one of the challenges that Bruce Hay has struggled with over the years is how to encourage student participation during lectures. "If you don't have participation, then you're not getting any feedback on what students are learning," he said. Recently, Hay discovered a solution to the problem: a free app for iPhones and iPads developed by two Caltech alumni. "Students learn best not when they are passive recipients of content, but when they are actively involved in their own learning," Su said. "It makes the class more interactive," he said. Collaborative Learning Instructor and Student Benefits
Educational Technology Visit the links below for more information about the work of Texas Education Agency's Educational Technology unit in the Division of Instructional Materials and Educational Technology and statewide educational technology initiatives. Technology Planning and Funding Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 2014 Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology (PDF) School Technology Planning, E-Rate Modernization, and Broadband ConnectivityE-Rate in TexasOnline Technology Plan (ePlan)School Technology and Readiness (STaR) ChartStudy on School District Network Capabilities (TEC Sec. 32.005)Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Title II, Part D (outside source) Funding and GrantsState Instructional Materials Allotment (IMA) Technology Lending Program Texas Education Agency Grant Opportunities Funding Digital Learning (outside source)Using Federal Funds to Support Transition to Digital Learning (outside source)Federal Grants (outside source)
Games for Learning I’m calling for investments in educational technology that will help create. . . educational software that’s as compelling as the best video game. President Obama Video games are important learning tools that provide immersive, interactive, and creative spaces for students to learn and explore in the 21st century classroom. Regional Game Jams Austin Education Game Jam To build on the momentum created by the White House Education Game Jam, the Office of Educational Technology is partnering with games industry leaders and education stakeholders to hold regional Education Game Jams. A mathematical platformer full of action, adventure, and... education? Building Dialogue Games for Learning Summit On April 21, the Office of Educational Technology and the non-profit, Games for Change, co-hosted a day-long summit to identify strategies for the broader creation, dissemination, and use of quality games in classrooms and beyond. Watch the Games for Learning Summit! Game Jam Prototypes
Teacher's Comprehensive List of Great Educational Technology Resources Coming to you from the Canadian Maritimes ( Halifax), Educational Technology and Mobile Learning is an educational blog dedicated to curating, reviewing and sharing EdTech tools and mobile apps. The purpose is to help teachers and educators effectively integrate digital technologies into their day-to-day teaching, learning and professional development. For any questions regarding our website or the content we publish, please contact EdTech admin, editor and blog owner, Med Kharbach at: info@educatorstechnology.com. Med Kharbach is a doctoral researcher and a former teacher with 10 years of classroom teaching experience. Kharbach, M. Example: Kharbach, M. (2016, December 30). 9 Fundamental digital skills for 21st century teachers [Blog post].
Connected Educators | Helping Educators Thrive in a Connected World Technology Tools | Tools you can use Education World offers new technology content every day. Some of our pieces related to technology tools can be found in this archive. We do update these aritcles reguarly, but given the changing nature of technology, we cannot promse that every piece will be on the cutting edge. Please visit our technology front page for the latest, most up-to-date tech stories. Social Media in the Classroom? In this information age, we can now talk to each other in ways we never imagined. Five for Fun Lots of image generators are available on the Web. Hardware and Software Essentials We asked members of the Education World Tech Team to tell us what hardware and software they consider essential -- or invaluable -- for todays educator? Podcast for Free on a PC Dont let Mac users have all the fun. Tech Tools for Teachers Members of the Education World Tech Team talk about the technology tools they find most useful in their professional lives, and the technology they use most successfully with students.
A Must Have Bibliography and Citation Maker for Student Researchers November 11, 2015 Writinghouse is an excellent free bibliography and citation maker. It allows you to automatically generate citations in various referencing styles including: MLA, APA, Chicago, and Harvard. We have been experimenting with it for awhile and found it really worth the shout-out here. Besides the citation and bibliography features, Writinghouse also offers other interesting tools to help students with their writing process. For instance, the Word Counter is a great way to keep track of the number of words you have written in an essay. There is also a section in this website featuring some good resources to help you learn more about the concept of bibliography and how to create one using different styles. Once your bibliography is compiled you can then download a copy to keep with you.
For Teachers Technology is a powerful tool to support teachers. The following resources are available to help teachers transition to using technology to enhance learning activities as well as collaborate and engage with other educators. Featured Resource Future Ready Schools: Professional Learning Toolkit November 2014 The toolkit provides rubrics, checklists and examples to assist district teams as they develop, refine, and evaluate professional learning plans that align with their capacity, learning goals, and standards of professional learning. Innovation in the Classroom Games for Learning Video games are important learning tools that provide immersive, interactive, and creative spaces for students to learn and explore in the 21st century classroom. Featured Initiative Connected Educators Project The Connected Educators project is designed to help educators leverage online communities of practice to connect around improving teacher and leader effectiveness and enhancing student learning. Learn more
10 Must Have Tools for BYOD Classroom November 10, 2015 With the advance of technology and mobile gadgetry there emerged a wide variety of learning trends endemic to 21st century classroom environment. One of these trends is what is conventionally referred to as BYOD/T (Bring Your Own Device/Technology). In a BYOD classroom, students bring their own technology (e.g hand-held devices, laptops..etc) and use them for various learning activities. The pedagogical strength of BYOD is that it is an effective way to personalize learning and allow students easy and quick access to the technology they need to explore and learn collaboratively in a student-centerer environment. There are now several web tools and mobile apps that support BYOD learning. The collection below features 10 popular recommendations in this regard. 1- Google Classroom “Classroom is a new tool in Google Apps for Education that helps teachers create and organize assignments quickly, provide feedback efficiently, and easily communicate with their classes.
50 Education Technology Tools Every Teacher Should Know About via Edudemic Technology and education are pretty intertwined these days and nearly every teacher has a few favorite tech tools that make doing his or her job and connecting with students a little bit easier and more fun for all involved. Yet as with anything related to technology, new tools are hitting the market constantly and older ones rising to prominence, broadening their scope, or just adding new features that make them better matches for education, which can make it hard to keep up with the newest and most useful tools even for the most tech-savvy teachers. Here, we’ve compiled a list of some of the tech tools, including some that are becoming increasingly popular and widely used, that should be part of any teacher’s tech tool arsenal this year, whether for their own personal use or as educational aids in the classroom. Social Learning These tools use the power of social media to help students learn and teachers connect. Learning Lesson Planning and Tools Useful Tools