Top Cloud Collaboration Services for Education Written by Leana Thorne Digital revolution has significantly transformed traditional teaching and learning practices, allowing educators to introduce latest technologies into their classrooms and enable students to learn more efficiently. One of the most important tech trends of the decade is definitely cloud computing that created a vast space for innovation in different industries. Cloud computing is a complex concept but it may generally be defined as a type of technology that delivers software tools and applications via the web. Cloud-based services store users’ data on remote server farms and enable constant access to important files from multiple devices simultaneously. The following cloud-based services are increasingly being implemented in educational institutions worldwide and they drive modernization of traditional learning and teaching methods. Google Drive Google Drive is probably the best-known app from this set. Box SkyDrive Leana Thorne (1 Posts)
21st Principal’s 2012 Edublog Nominations Here’s my 2012 Edublog nominations. While it is difficult to narrow down my choices, these are sites I visit and read just about every single day and important nodes in my own professional learning network. Thanks to all! Individual BlogLarry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day: Consistently, day-after-day provides links to valuable information for all educators. New BlogDiane Ravitch’s Blog: Diane Ravitch’s new blog gives voice to public education advocates everywhere. Best EdTech/ Resource Sharing BlogFree Technology for Teachers: Very reliable and consistent resource on web and technology tools for the classroom. Teacher BlogThe Tempered Radical: An ongoing and constant voice of a classroom teacher and all things teaching. Library/Librarian BlogA Media Specialist’s Guide to the Internet: Site with tons of information and resources from the perspective a media specialist. Twitter Hashtag #edchat: The most influential and ongoing conversation about all things education.
It’s About Self-directed Learning “This is about students learning at their own pace, not working at their own pace.” – Summit San Jose Math Teacher Three weeks into the school year, a student in our Optimized Learning math pilot raised his hand and said to a teacher, “I think I am behind.” That simple statement led to a larger conversation and a good look at this ninth grader’s schooling history. When digging into his past, it became evident he had always been behind. And yet, he just kept moving forward through social promotion and low D grades. For the first time, we were asking him to be accountable for his own learning and drive his success. It was a defining moment for both this student and me. I strongly believe that if we are to achieve our mission of preparing every student to be successful in college, career and life, they need to become self-directed learners. When we launched our Optimized math pilot in the beginning of the school year, we gave students full autonomy over their learning. The Learning Cycle:
The Language of Learning From HookED Wiki Developing a common language of the learning process We identified the language of learning most commonly used in New Zealand schools by analysing the task descriptors used in Level One NCEA papers. The most commonly occurring terms in the language of learning were developed into ten visual maps coded against student learning outcomes to help students understand the process of (or how to) define, describe, sequence, classify, compare and contrast, causal explanation, part whole analysis, analogy, generalise, predict and evaluate. These Hooked on Thinking visual maps help make the language of learning visible to students whether they are five years old or eighteen years old. The maps are introduced individually but are intended to be used fluently in a sequence of learning experiences designed to unpack an NZC Achievement Objective as shown below. HOT Visual Maps Figure X HOT Compare and contrast Map HOT SOLO Coded Self Assessment Rubrics Media type="custom" key="5024685"
Pearltrees Social Library – Collate and Collaborate Posted on September 2, 2013 by R Chambers So this holiday I have developed a new addiction! Pearltrees! Pearltrees is a fantastic visual and collaborative social library tool with great potential in education! You can synchronise your account with other social networking tools, namely Twitter and Facebook – broadcasting new pearls added (you have to enable this feature so you don’t have to do this) or collecting new pearls when a link is added. When you create an account and pearltrees, these are public, however there is a premium option for creating private pearltrees and private collaborations which enables you to control your privacy settings should you wish. Here are links to 3 of my Pearltrees which may be of use: 1. iPads in Education 2. I will developing these further during the academic year. Like this: Like Loading... Related Filed under: Uncategorized |
27 Ways To Publish Student Thinking Publishing student thinking can be among the most powerful ways to improve learning. There are a variety of reasons for this, but the biggest reason is that the “threat” of publishing moves the lodestone from the classroom to the “real world.” This, of course, changes everything. What To Publish Note that publishing finished products and the thinking process itself are two very different things–and the idea here is to publishing the thinking itself: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Most of the following can also be used to publish the finished products–essays, documentaries, and other project-based learning artifacts. Below are 27+ ways to make this happen–and most are available as apps. WordPress.comKidblogVoicethreadYouTube AnimotoVimeoGoAnimateEdmodoStoryKitIdea SketchJingStorifyPreziScribdSlideshareTwitterWordleiMovieTumblrInstagramGoogle+SkitchiBooks AuthorMookletBloggerBook Creator Creative Book Builder Image attribution flickr user flickeringbrad
Strategies to enhance student self-assessment Reflection activities Teachers often use proformae to encourage students to reflect on their learning experience. While these are convenient and provide a record of student thinking, they can become an activity devoid of any real thinking. Oral reflection, whether as a whole class or group within the class, might sometimes be more useful. View Sample reflective questions and prompts (doc,30kb) for younger students and Designing reflective prompts (doc,33kb) for older students. Student-led and three-way conferences Student-led conferences in which students present their learning to their teacher and parents are an opportunity for students to formally reflect on the learning that has taken place over a period of time. Usually the evidence they produce is in the form of a portfolio, which students have prepared according to provided guidelines. The student, with teacher guidance, is the one who selects the work. Use of rubrics Rubrics are a valuable tool for self-assessment. Specific Measurable
Differentiate content in the classroom Essential Question: How can I use Pearltrees to differentiate content in the classroom? Using Pearltrees reminded me of making an interactive poster using Glogster. I could click anywhere in the poster and it would take me to a new video, picture, or note. Pearltrees does the same thing, but adds the extra element (I think, since I only made one interactive poster) of opening another webpage. Pearltree would give students a central spot to keep all of their resources in one place and therefore more organized. I believe that if I took classes in high school, like history or writing, that utilized an interactive online tool like Pearltrees, that I could have wanted to put more effort in, therefore remembering more. This would also allow integration of different content areas and teachers could do team collaboration projects that didn’t fizzle out. I think that this would be a great way to introduce younger students to an online tool that brings a project together.
5 Strategies For Incorporating Social Emotional Learning Into Your Classroom by Meg Price, theeiexperience Social emotional learning (SEL) by definition is a process for learning life skills, including how to deal with oneself, others and relationships, and work in an effective manner. Although there are many great SEL programs, SEL can also be incorporated into each lesson as a way of teaching for students to really understand how to action the skills in a variety of situations and form positive habits. All students start school with some level of social and emotional skills and all will develop their social and emotional skills at a different rate. Parents and teachers are both responsible for teaching students life skills and certainly much of what they learn will be by watching our actions. The 5 strategies below are will not only benefit students SEL but will also be beneficial to teacher’s well-being. 5 Strategies For Incorporating Social Emotional Learning Into Your Classroom 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. - What aspects of this class did you enjoy today?
Student Assessment Rubrics | Standards Based Assessments Our performance material includes standards-based rubrics that define what work meets today's standards, allowing teachers (and students) to distinguish between different levels of performance. Our rubrics have four levels of performance: Novice, Apprentice, Practitioner (meets the standard) and Expert. Exemplars uses two types of rubrics: Standards-Based Assessment Rubrics are used by teachers to assess student work in Math, Science and Writing. Exemplars material includes both a general rubric as well as task-specific rubrics.Student Rubrics are used during peer- and self-assessments and feature kid-friendly language and symbols. Students can also use our Assessment Rubrics (and annotated anchor papers) to compare their work to during peer- and self-assessments. Back to top
Classroom Manager Classroom control, management, and collaboration at the click of a mouse Now available for: Evaluate student comprehension Administer surveys, quizzes and tests Use keyword tracking to ensure comprehension Distribute and collect assignments digitally Listen and record language lessons Encourage collaboration Record results and progress with Digital Journals Form chat groups to discuss topics Share student work across all systems Interact via virtual whiteboard Monitor student activities Restrict website and application access Single click launch of website and applications Screen and device locking Block or limit printing to reduce ink usage Easily support teachers Message teachers 1:1 or en masse in a matter of seconds Provide teacher support through direct chats with IT Monitor and access devices Communicate & Collaborate Save Time