10 Excellent New Educational Web Tools for Teachers March 20, 2015 Here are some very useful educational web tools we have curated over the last few weeks. These are EdTech tools we came across through posts from other edubloggers. As is the case with previous posts in New EdTech Web Tools for Teachers, we only feature the recent trending tools which we think would be a valued addition to teachers technology toolkit. Check out the ones we have for you today and share with us if you have other suggestions to add to the list: 1- iClicker iClicker is a powerful formative assessment tool and intuitive student response system that allows for dynamic student-teacher interaction. 2- ThinkBinder ThinkBinder is an excellent web tool for creating study and discussion groups. 3- EverySlide EverySlide is a web tool that allows you to create interaction around your presentations. 4- RabbleBrowser "RabbleBrowser is a curated, collaborative Web browsing and file sharing tool to help with learning and sharing in a group setting. 5- Flocabulary 6- Tricider
Visual Literacy INTRODUCTION Every day, we see and are exposed to hundreds perhaps thousands of images that pass through our radar screens. Unfortunately, not many of us know how to "read images." Many of our students don't question media: they believe everything they see--including digitally altered images seen in the media. One of the ways to teach critical thinking and "media literacy" is to start with the still image. Because of the Internet, it is easier than ever to access these images. Your school's arts educator is a perfect partner in understanding the concepts of visual literacy. Because mobile phones now incorporate cameras, and due to the size and cost of digital cameras, it is easier than ever for students to take photographs and incorporate images into their projects. This web site is a resource and is designed to provide the K-12 educator ideas, readings, lesson plans and other valuable tools for classroom instruction. Click on the links in the left hand column to access those resources.
Finland schools: Subjects are out and ‘topics’ are in as country reforms its education system - Europe For years, Finland has been the by-word for a successful education system, perched at the top of international league tables for literacy and numeracy. Only far eastern countries such as Singapore and China outperform the Nordic nation in the influential Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings. Politicians and education experts from around the world – including the UK – have made pilgrimages to Helsinki in the hope of identifying and replicating the secret of its success. Which makes it all the more remarkable that Finland is about to embark on one of the most radical education reform programmes ever undertaken by a nation state – scrapping traditional “teaching by subject” in favour of “teaching by topic”. “This is going to be a big change in education in Finland that we’re just beginning,” said Liisa Pohjolainen, who is in charge of youth and adult education in Helsinki – the capital city at the forefront of the reform programme. School lunches around the world
Photo Story for the Classroom Shutterfly Photo Story for Classrooms Our award-winning iPad app motivates and empowers students to create self-published books that demonstrate their knowledge. The program leverages your school's technology investment, supports project-based learning and provides lesson plans that align with Common Core or State Standards for each grade level. See how Photo Story helps students in the classroom. Watch our how-to videos Getting started > Learn more about our Photo Story app. How to add audio > Add a 30-second audio message to each page. How to use Doodle > Our Doodle feature allows you to drawor write on your iPad. How to share and order > Get a digital version you can share.Others can view the book and order. About Photo Story The latest in classroom iPad apps, Photo Story for Classrooms is a fun new way to use technology in the classroom.
40 Uses For Smartphones in School As Alanis Morissette once said, ‘isn’t it ironic’. After years of struggle between teachers and students and the use of smartphones in school, new educational trends are actually encouraging the use of these devices. The mobile, cellphone or smartphone is not just used for WhatsApp, Facebook or Angry Birds, it can be used in a multitude of ways from an educational perspective. Don’t believe us? Keep reading. In this article we bring together 40 uses for smartphones in school. Before we continue, it is worth remembering that this does not mean we should suddenly change the way in which we teach and allow the use of the smartphones without control. A revolution in the classroom: Check facts: probably the most common use of all. These 40 uses of Smartphones in School are just the beginning. Don’t forget to download the brand new ExamTime iOS and Android app today. About the ExamTime Blog
Which of these top 20 programming languages should your school teach? By Frank Evans January 20th, 2015 One IT expert and educator discusses the how and why of choosing the right programming language “Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.” -John Woods Way back in the 1970s, working as a computer programmer was quite prestigious, and if you wanted to get into computer programming, your potential employer would more often than not put you through a batch of aptitude tests in order to determine your suitability: even if you had a degree. Nowadays, programming is more widespread and you don’t need a degree to be a programmer; it’s no longer mainly for scientists and engineers: students studying the humanities, English as a foreign language students, people building websites, and a whole host of other folks are learning to program. The most important question on people’s minds will probably be, “What programming language(s) do I need to learn?”
Coding from kindergarten to graduation We interact with computing devices every day—so should we have a better understanding of the science behind them? An increasing number of districts are saying yes. This year, 25 states require computer science courses for high school graduation, compared to only 11 states in 2013, according to the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). Districts are teaching basic coding to students as early as kindergarten, embedding computer science principles into core curriculum, and mandating computer science courses for graduation. Computer and mathematical occupations are projected to add 778,300 new jobs between 2010 and 2020, after having added 229,600 new jobs from 2006 to 2010. “It’s a new path in the curriculum and it presents a whole lot of opportunities for kids,” says Eric Schneider, assistant superintendent for instruction at Minnetonka Public Schools in Minnesota. An example of its growth could be found in the news. Uniformity, integration Start a computer coding program St.
How Teaching Is Changing: 15 Examples How Teaching Is Changing: 15 New Realities Every Educator Faces by Terry Heick It’s tempting to say that no matter how much technology pushes on education, every teacher will always need to know iconic teacher practices like assessment, curriculum design, classroom management, and cognitive coaching. This may end up being true–how education changes in the next 20 years is a choice rather than the inevitable tidal wave of social and technological change it’s easy to sit back and wait for. Think of the very limited change in education since 2000 compared to the automotive industry, computer industry, retail consumer industry, etc. But it’s probably going to be a bit different than that. We’ve written before about the kinds of “things” modern teachers must be able to do. (Hint: It’s no longer about classroom management, testing, and content delivery.) 1. The Old: Administer assessment, evaluate performance, report performance, then–maybe–make crude adjustments the best you can 2. Summary 3. 4.
Take aim at innovation, with students in the center In September 2012, I packed up my Prius, left my patient wife, and drove around the United States for 89 days and 10,000 miles visiting 64 schools of every flavor and size to find out how they are preparing students for a rapidly changing world. I asked questions and recorded learning with more than 600 teachers, administrators and students. In setting up the complex matrix of this trip, many of my hosts asked, “What would you like to see when you are here?” The journeys of discovery in my life have started with open goals and few preconceptions, so I left the agendas as open ended as possible, with one caveat: I was not interested in seeing a 1:1 laptop program or talking with teachers about their tablet rollouts. As others have said, technology in learning should be as ubiquitous as air, and there is nothing innovative about students and teachers breathing. Technology is not innovation What would Dewey do? Flipping the classroom is not enough But what if we really flipped learning?
The Precious First Few Minutes Of Class The Precious First Few Minutes Of Class by Suzy Pepper Rollins Students file into class. “Your warm-up is on the board,” we announce. More minutes pass, as students dump out backpacks and empty pockets in a panicked search for a scrap of paper they swear was secured last night. But the opening minutes are also the time when students’ brains are their freshest and they tend to remember more of what’s been taught during this period than any other time of the learning episode. These precious minutes can quickly establish a prior knowledge connection, vital to maximizing learning. Rather than begin class with a passive warm-up, success starters have the power to get every student motivated about the lesson and successful right from the bell. We’ve shared 12 Interesting Ways To Start Class Tomorrow before. 4 Easy Teaching Warm-Ups To Start Class Tomorrow 1. Create facts and fibs about the upcoming topic on strips of paper. 2. Tackling a piece of text about a character in a tough predicament?
Amazon launches AWS Educate to promote cloud learning Amazon has announced AWS Educate in order to accelerate cloud technology learning in the classroom. Announced on Thursday, the program is designed for teachers and students involved or interested in the cloud technology field. Cloud computing is rapidly transforming the modern business landscape. However, a field can only progress if it has skilled staff behind it -- and Amazon plans to be involved in training the next generation of cloud developers. Amazon's AWS Educate is a program designed to help educators bring cloud technology into the classroom as well as give students valuable experience before they enter the workforce. Following Amazon's approval of applications to use the software, AWS Educate is free for educational institutions. "Based on the feedback and success of our grant recipients and the global need for cloud-skilled workers, we developed AWS Educate to help even more students learn cloud technology firsthand in the classroom. Dr. Read on: In the world of ed-tech
Science Shows You How To Raise Happy Kids Preschoolers who are raised by supportive, nurturing mums have been scientifically proven to have a hippocampus – the part of the brain which controls stress and memory – 10% larger than those who did not. Whilst dads are best when listening to their children, and setting appropriate rules whilst allowing a balance of freedom. Arguably the most important secret to help you raise happy kids is to remember that every child is different; every size certainly does not fit all when it comes to children. What have you done to ensure you raise happy kids? The Science Of Raising Happy Kids | Happify Featured photo credit: The Science Of Raising Happy Kids | Happify via my.happify.com
Why I Became a Connected Educator A couple of weeks ago, Samer Rabadi, Edutopia's Community Manager, started this discussion on the Community Bulletin Board: "What Does It Mean to Be a Connected Educator?" He observed that, for many of us, becoming connected educators has transformed our lives. I would certainly agree with that! The Lure of Cyberspace My story began while I had to stay home to convalesce from a recent spine surgery. I set up my Twitter account, and began watching, tentatively at first, as though I were learning a new language. And now? Freaking In! Has it been worthwhile? The day of final exams last June, I was explaining an activity to a group of third-year French students. I am totally #FreakedIn as well -- freaked in to teaching and learning, that is, and in large part because reaching out into cyberspace and connecting with the world has opened so many doors of opportunity. Reach out and get Freaked In as well.