8 Tips and Tricks to Redesign Your Classroom Editor's Note: Author David Bill is a designer and educator who consulted with The Third Teacher+ on the Remake Your Class project highlighted in the videos below. The tips in this post go along with the companion video. We are excited by the simplicity (and low price tag!) of this great redesign. Hope you'll share any of your own tips in the comments area below. If you're thinking of completing your own classroom remake project, good for you. The tips below can be used for smaller scale remakes right way. Whether you are looking to reorganize one corner or redesign the entire room, here are eight tips that may help you throughout the process. 1. Students are your primary users and should be at the center of such a remake process. Create Visual Inspiration Ask parents, colleagues or friends to donate a variety of appropriate magazines. Digitally, you can utilize Pinterest as a way for to create a "board" of inspiration. Students Define Pain Points 10x10x10 Student Helpers 2. Word Association
The 2015 Honor Roll: EdTech’s Must-Read K–12 IT Blogs The world of educational technology can be intimidating. Bloggers help make sense of this ever-changing industry with wit, insight and tactical advice. EdTech is proud to recognize this latest crop of the top K–12 IT bloggers. This year's 50 entries are a mix of veterans from years past, fresh picks by our editorial staff and nominations from readers. One of our goals for this year's list was to highlight blogs from a wide range of educators and experts. If you'd like to check out the Must-Read IT Blogs from previous years, view our lists from 2014, 2013 and 2012. Did your blog make our list? This year, educational technology guru and speaker Michael Gorman led a prolific eight-part series covering more than 70 STEM classroom resources. Follow: @mjgormans | Read the blog: Thousands of educators look to Eric Sheninger and his blog for leadership in technology. Follow: @e_sheninger | Read the blog:
Archived: Effects of Technology on Classrooms and Students A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n Change inStudent andTeacherRoles When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The teacher's role changes as well. Project-based work (such as the City Building Project and the Student-Run Manufacturing Company) and cooperative learning approaches prompt this change in roles, whether technology is used or not. IncreasedMotivation andSelfEsteem The most common--and in fact, nearly universal--teacher-reported effect on students was an increase in motivation. The kids that don't necessarily star can become the stars. Teachers talked about motivation from a number of different perspectives. Kids like the immediate results. Technology is the ultimate carrot for students. The computer has been an empowering tool to the students. I see more confidence in the kids here. . . .
10 Emerging Education Technologies Are you or your students wearing your Apple Watches to school, and if so, are you using them as part of your curriculum? What about the use of digital textbooks, adaptive learning, collaboration with other schools or flipped classrooms? These technologies represent some of the cutting edge tools and trends in education. While some are being implemented now, regular use of others is on the (not to distant) horizon. We’ve scanned the gurus’ lists and found the top technologies that educators need to prepare for in the next one to five years. Image via Flickr by Kārlis Dambrāns As we look at the top new trends in edtech, we notice some common themes: Individualism– much of the new technology is for one person and is customized to that person’s preferences, to be used when convenient. 1. 2. 3. Shared information—collaboration is key, whether it is with increased reliance on social media and an opportunity for more openness. 4. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. These are exciting times for edtech.
A Place for Learning: The Physical Environment of Classrooms I was supervising a teacher who was enrolled in our program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst that focused on developing student self-knowledge, ego strength, trust and community in classrooms. We had created a manual with over 50 classroom lessons. She was teaching at a high school in an economically depressed district in northern Appalachia. She called me in a state of frustration. "I've used dozens of the exercises you guys developed, and they're not the least bit interested. There's no sense of community, and the trust level is non-existent. Students Take Ownership So I visited the class. I suggested that she ditch the exercises and work with the class to totally change the physical environment. They spent six weeks doing little else. There are at least two lessons from this story. The physical structure of a classroom is a critical variable in affecting student morale and learning. The Custodian’s Favorite Arrangement Here's a related story. More Ideas, More Resources
Top 10 Sites for Educational Games There's no denying the appeal that online games have for kids. Despite the stigma games hold, many online educational games not only enhance the joy of learning, but also strengthen skill sets. The following are my favorite educational gaming sites on the web. Funbrain- One of the most popular educational gaming sites around. Not only does this site cover a variety of subjects, it also caters to K-8th graders, and has nice teacher resources as well.Game Classroom- Excellent, safe, teacher-approved, state-standard-aligned games for grades K-6. David Kapuler is an educational consultant with more than 10 years of experience working in the K-12 environment.
Using Technology In The Classroom Technology has always been a major focus on EducationWorld.com. This archive compiles many of the features we have done on the subject of using technology in the classroom. Many of these articles have been updated many times or even rewritten as technology changes. That said, due to the ever-changing nature of technology, there will be articles on this list that are a little past their prime period of usefullness. If there are any that you would like us to update or redo, please drop us a line. Social Networking Tips for Teachers Social networking in the classroom? Teaching? Fifth Graders Soar in the Blogosphere Across the curriculum, Gillian Ryan asks her fifth graders to respond in writing to the topics they discuss -- whether in math, science, social studies, or language arts -- and their ideas become posts to classroom blogs. Podcasts Promote Reading Librarian Malissia Bell has challenged students to create 500 podcasts describing their favorite books. Who Is They? Blogging? Quick!
12 Emerging Educational Uses of Technology That are the Most Exciting Right Now Well, it's that time of year again … the start of a new school year. With it often comes the irresistible urge to make another list, or even better … many lists! Lists help us to plan, and they can also help us reflect and assess. One list I really enjoy putting together as we head into a new academic year is an updated look at which educational uses of technology have shown the most promise over the last year. Which tools and techniques most excite me as I look forward to another year of striving for continuous improvement as a teacher, technologist, and #edtech advocate? And as different technology uses take the spotlight, which of them are standing out a little less? So, looking back and thinking forward, here are a dozen instructional uses of technology that are the most compelling right now. Augmented Reality AR is just so much fun and comes in many different flavors. Adaptive Learning & Competency Based Education The Flipped Classroom Student Response Systems Video Collaboration Tools
20 Classroom Setups That Promote Thinking 20 Classroom Setups That Promote Thinking by TeachThought Staff This is part 1 in our #iteachthought campaign. This is our equivalent to “back to school,” and is intended to help you focus in the 2015-2016 school year on taking a thoughtful approach to your craft as a teacher. Among these shifts we’ll talk about is turning our focus from content and teaching to thinkers and thinking. This is a student-centered approach to pedagogy (and heautagogy), and will consist of three parts: Part 1: Classroom Setups That Promote Thinking Part 2: Learning Profiles: What Great Teachers Know About Their Students Part 3: 50 Questions To Ask Your Students On The First Day Of School Learning Is An Ecology Can how you setup your classroom impact how students think? Desks are a staple of the ‘modern’ classroom as we know it. So what can we do? So, the bit about “classroom setups impacting thinking.” Note, we’ve placed an asterisk* beside those approaches that are more strongly suited to “thought” than others.
Bill Gates explains why classroom technology is failing students and teachers « Techno-News Blog by Amy X. Wang, Quartz While technology is “starting to improve education,” he said, it’s not personalized or focused enough to truly help teachers figure out how to improve. And most educational technology thus far has benefited only the most motivated students, he said, not those who need extra encouragement most. The 5 Emerging Educational Technologies You Should Know about January31, 2014 The educational landscape is witnessing a drastic change due to the use and integration of emerging technologies. However, though these changes are revolutionary but they are still far from being transformative because the gap between the technologies our students are using out of school and the ones they have access to inside the walls of school is widening. With the emergence and massive uptake of these new emerging technologies, there appeared a new learning culture one which is catalyst of the culture schools should encourage and cultivate. And until we get past the CIPA act and other inhibiting practices and policies, this gap will keep on widening. Today, I want to share with you this handy infographic that features 5 examples of emerging technologies which have been or are expected to be used in the classroom. These are : Cloud ComputingMobile TechnologyGame Based LearningMOOCsLearning Analytics
Transforming the school library for innovative learning The joy of reading is something that stays with someone for life and for many, this joy has its roots in the school library. Reading for pleasure is also inextricably linked with higher achievement and social mobility, making the school library a place of great importance in a child’s life. While the end goal is the same, the layout of today’s library has changed considerably from even a few years ago to accommodate high demand for technology and the shift from a quiet space to a learning hub for both groups and individuals. It is imperative, therefore, that the design and resourcing of the school library is meticulously planned by those with expert knowledge. School News spoke to industry insiders for advice on refitting the school library. Consider your space Start by looking at your space, advises Scott Reed from Resource Furniture, suppliers to hundreds of school libraries across Australia. Case study: Albany Senior High School, Auckland Questions to consider Space Signage Collection
12 Easy Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom, Even for Technophobic Teachers Everyone wants teachers to use technology in the classroom. But you're busy -- meeting standards, prepping students for tests -- and maybe you’re not too fond of computers, anyway. Never fear – there are easy ways to bring your classroom up-to-date, technologically. Do you have a iPad in your classroom for your use? How about iPads for students to use? What kind of Internet access is available at your school? What do you have to do to get Ipads for your students? Also try to find a technology “mentor” on campus – the computer teacher or just another teacher who uses technology more than you do. Perfect Ed Tech Activities for Beginners Do a PowerPoint “Game Show Review” Many tech-savvy teachers have used Microsoft PowerPoint to create review games based on famous game shows, including “Jeopardy! Have students complete a written classroom activity as if it was online. Ever have your students write a diary from the perspective of a character or famous person? Try a Webquest Do an email exchange