September, 2013

article thumbnail

Eight Leadership Essentials

A Principal's Reflections

'The beginning of the school year always renews my focus on how to improve my leadership skills. Each year I critically analyze ways I can improve as well as what I feel I am doing well. To my mind, we all have the capacity to lead. It is through leadership that we become catalysts for positive change. Once sustainable change takes hold, we will see the fruits of our labor in the form of transformed teaching and learning practices amongst learners and in ourselves.

article thumbnail

Connected Educator Month.What You Need To Know #CE13

The Web20Classroom

'"Alone we are smart but together we are brilliant." October has been declared by the U.S. Department of Education to be Connected Educator Month. Started in 2012, an entire month of webinars, blog posts, ideas, discussions and more are dedicated to increasing awareness of the importance of educators to get connected. I have been honored to be a part of the planning process and give input and ideas to the entire team that is working tirelessly to promote various events, tools and resources for e

Edcamps 267
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Forensic Science Resources for teachers and students

Educational Technology Guy

'My wife is teaching Forensic Science this year so I was helping her find some resources for the class. I decided to share the resources here. NCIS - another great show to get students interested in science [link] [link] Great listing of resources and sites. [link] - high school forensics class site [link] High School Forensic Science curriculum and resources [link] Forensic Science for high school students.

Resources 236
article thumbnail

5 Obsolete Practices and Ways of Doing School We Need to Abandon

The 21st Century Principal

'“The nation has become obsessed with ‘seat time,’ assuming that this ‘hunkering down’ at desks and tables will result in higher test scores.” Ron Nash, From Seatwork to Feetwork What are some outmoded educational practices and ways of schooling that we need to change the most? Like the concept of "seat time" mentioned above, many of our ways of doing school and educational practices are obsolete.

Industry 111
article thumbnail

Enhancing Higher Education with Generative AI: A Responsible Guide

Generative AI holds tremendous promise for all stakeholders in higher education. But guardrails are needed. Strong governance that empower instructors are at the core of a responsible approach to using generative AI in academia.

article thumbnail

The Internet According to 9th Graders

Philly Teacher

'To start off the year, I decided to make sure that all of my 9th graders understand what the Internet really is and how it works before they get their Internet-ready laptops in a few weeks. When they came in, they had the first five minutes of class to “draw the Internet.” I got a lot of quizzical looks. “What do you mean?” “You can’t draw the Internet!

article thumbnail

Overview of iOS7 for SLPs and Educators

SpeechTechie

'You may have heard that a new version of iOS- iOS7- is available! This gives your iPad operating system a new look and feel and additional features. This new operating system is accessed (for free) in your Settings app under General>Software Update for iPad 2s and later, including the mini. I did my updates after a backup and "over the air" (i.e. through Settings), rather than connecting to iTunes via a computer, and it went smoothly, though it took about an hour, so be sure to allow that ti

iPad 107

More Trending

article thumbnail

The @ASCD Arias Series-Teaching With Tablets

The Web20Classroom

'Recently ASCD released 4 short books that are aimed at packing a big punch in a small package. Each are less that 100 pages but have loads of quality information. Over the next few posts we will look at each one to see what they are all about. Then we will give away 1 copy of each. Sound like fun? In the first post we took a look at Fostering Grit.

Tablets 195
article thumbnail

From BadAss to Batty. Activist teachers lose progressive focus.

The Innovative Educator

'You may have heard of the Badass Teachers group. Back in June they started a recruiting campaign and used questionable practices to put 25,000 members in their group very quickly. The group had promising beginnings. It was started by Mark Naison a progressive college professor and a homeschooling mom who connected in a group that explores alternatives to traditional public school education.

Groups 104
article thumbnail

Infographic: How Students Use Technology in School and Out

The 21st Century Principal

'What are we getting students to do with technology in our schools? Here''s an interesting infographic from Education Week that offers some answers to that very question. One can only hope that "Create presentations and media" doesn''t mean our students are spending a great deal of time engaged in PowerPoint creation. It is interesting, however, that at the high school level that we are getting students to use social media for collaboration fairly often.

article thumbnail

Evaluating authentic mobile apps for learning

Nik Peachey

Back in April 2013 I delivered a workshop at the IATEFL 2013 conference in Liverpool. The topic of the workshop was ' Criteria for Evaluating Web Tools and Apps ' and in the workshop I encouraged participants to share and explore their subconscious criteria for deciding which apps and web based tools they used with their students. I particularly encouraged them to think about 'authentic' apps rather than those made for learning.

Mobility 100
article thumbnail

Enhancing School Device Management for Improved Learning

Schools face increasing challenges as technology becomes integral to education. Efficient device management is essential for maximizing technology use and safeguarding investments. Our article discusses the importance of tracking devices, outlines current challenges, and suggests modern solutions that go beyond traditional methods like Excel. Learn how advanced tracking systems can streamline operations, improve maintenance, and offer real-time updates for better resource allocation.

article thumbnail

The First Day of a New School: We Built This

Philly Teacher

'Morning grade-wide meeting in the cafeteria this morning. I am so exhausted I can barely keep my eyes awake, but it’s a good kind of tired. After weeks of team building, inquiry into our own pedagogical practices, building units, discussing and working out details on school operations from scheduling the first day to student flow through the building, loading up UHaul trucks with furniture and carrying a conference table up three flights of stairs, today was the ultimate truth.

article thumbnail

The Art of Storytelling

A Principal's Reflections

'I decided to hold back (for now) on a rant that has been brewing for the past two days and instead have decided to take a more constructive approach on my blog. A great debate that has emerged over social media channels has been how we honor and acknowledge our educators and others in the profession. During many insightful and constructive conversations with Chris Wejr we went back on forth on the merits and challenges inherent in this complex process.

Edcamps 308
article thumbnail

The @ASCD Arias Series-Grading And Group Work

The Web20Classroom

'Recently ASCD released 4 short books that are aimed at packing a big punch in a small package. Each are less that 100 pages but have loads of quality information. Over the next few posts we will look at each one to see what they are all about. Then we will give away 1 copy of each. Sound like fun? In the first post we took a look at Fostering Grit.

Groups 178
article thumbnail

5 Ideas Essential to #1to1Tech Learning Success

The Innovative Educator

'This article originally appeared at Partners in Learning - 1:1 Hot Topics. It’s no secret that successful 1:1 learning goes beyond simply getting devices into the hands of students and teachers. Many schools have had 1:1 programs long enough that challenges have been identified. However, valuable solutions exist that can be put into place to help ensure such challenges don''t get in the way of a successful 1:1 learning implementation.

article thumbnail

Quickly Create Personalized Learning Experiences that Work

How can we actively engage learners 24/7, on their level and according to their interests, while respecting their learning styles? It’s not impossible. In this guide: Explore how to transform traditional, one-way videos into two-way interactive learning experiences Understand different types of artificial intelligence (AI), including - Generative vs.

article thumbnail

Establishing a PBL-Friendly Culture in Your Classroom, School or District

The 21st Century Principal

'“PBL (Project Based Learning) offers a unique opportunity for teachers and students to join together in the inquiry process.” Thom Markham, Project Based Learning: Design and Coaching Guide With the advent of Common Core Standards, there''s a great deal of talk from school districts about moving to Project Based Learning because the kinds of learning asked for in those standards can better be approached through a PBL model.

article thumbnail

Access Your Stuff with Parallels Access

Kathy Schrock

'Parallels Access screenshot Parallels Access is the coolest new program for your iPad and your Mac or Windows computer! It allows you to work with all of the programs that are on your computer on your iPad! Parallels calls it "applifying", since the programs run full screen on the iPad, but also allow you to use tapping, pinching, swiping, and scrolling as if you were using an iPad app!

article thumbnail

5 to 6 Hours of Basic Training on iPads? What?

EdTechSandyK

'Photo Used Under Creative Commons License My last post was on the plan the educational technology team in my school district came up with for iPad Basic Training for Teachers. As iPads began making their way into our school district through different avenues last year, we felt it was important to make sure our teachers had a basic understanding of how to use the iPad before we even began to talk with them about using the iPad for teaching and learning.

iPad 74
article thumbnail

Inspiring Students to Think About College

A Principal's Reflections

'One of our goals at New Milford High School is to present as many college options as possible to our students if that is the direction they want to pursue. When hiring some new guidance counselors a little over two years ago I asked them during the interview process how they would increase access to higher education options upon graduation. One idea that was developed by Michelle Harle, who is now in her third year at NMHS, was to organize and hold a college fair during the school day for all s

article thumbnail

Can Brain Science Actually Help Make Your Training & Teaching Stick?

Speaker: Andrew Cohen, Founder & CEO of Brainscape

The instructor’s PPT slides are brilliant. You’ve splurged on the expensive interactive courseware. Student engagement is stellar. So… why are half of your students still forgetting everything they learned in just a matter of weeks? It's likely a matter of cognitive science! With so much material to "teach" these days, we often forget to incorporate key proven principles into our curricula — namely active recall, metacognition, spaced repetition, and interleaving practice.

article thumbnail

Develop Descriptive Schema with Trading Cards

SpeechTechie

'ReadWriteThink, a longtime online presence developed with the participation of the International Reading Association, has amassed an impressive amount of interactives (flash-based, so not accessible on iPad) that can be used to build language skills. My issue with the more complex ones that could be used with older students was that your work could not be saved, and you had to finish your work in one sitting.

article thumbnail

Increase teacher effectiveness with eduClipper

The Innovative Educator

'Guest post by Adam Bellow With so many demands on a teacher’s limited time and a growing number of frameworks and standards being introduced that can increase demands even further, many educators have looked to digital tools as a way to help them make the most efficient use of their time as they strive to be even more effective at the craft of teaching.

article thumbnail

We Must Redesign Our Public Schools or Else!

The 21st Century Principal

'Small high schools are necessary because they help school districts fill a niche, that if left unfilled, parents will seek alternatives outside public schools. While I do not consider myself an avid supporter of increasing the number of charter schools and school vouchers, I understand why there''s interest in options for schools. Instead of constantly complaining about the increase of charter schools and vouchers, perhaps school districts need to seriously question the design of those schools

Meeting 98
article thumbnail

Learners as producers

Learning with 'e's

'For the longest time teachers and lecturers have held the monopoly on the production of academic content. They create lesson plans, produce resources, devise marking schemes and search around for activities and games they can repurpose to use in teaching sessions. Although the production of content has been the preserve of the teacher and the academic since the formalisation of education, increasingly, we also see learners creating their own content.

article thumbnail

Behind the Bell: The Underlying Impact of Tardiness in K-12 Schools

Managing a K-12 campus with constant pressure to meet performance metrics is challenging. And tardiness can significantly limit a school from reaching these goals. Learn more about why chronic lateness matters, and key strategies to address the following impacts: Data errors caused by manual processes Low attendance and graduation rates that affect a school’s reputation Classroom disruption, which leads to poor academic performance High staff attrition and “The Teacher Exodus” Unmet LCAP goals t

article thumbnail

Recommended Watch: "How Social Intelligence Influences Your Social Media"

mauilibrarian2 in Olinda

'Watched this Google+ hangout with Martin Shervington and TheGoToMom Kimberley Blaine and thought it was too good not to share. Solid advice that is helpful in real life as well. :) Linda (??? ? ) @mauilibrarian2 G+ This post was originally published at mauilibrarian2 in Olinda.

article thumbnail

Connecting the People on the Scene of an Emergency at Your School

A Principal's Reflections

'The following is a guest post by Erik Endress. In the days following December 14th, 2012 school administrators, educators, law enforcement personnel and parents have undertaken the most comprehensive look at school safety since the Columbine massacre of 1999. While much of that discussion has focused on preventing a Newtown-style active shooter from making entry to a building, history shows that the majority of active shooters appear from the inside of the school, in the form of a student, staf

Mobility 251
article thumbnail

Create Photo Comics with Story Me

SpeechTechie

'Utilizing comics in interventions has many applications, from social instruction ( Comic Strip Conversation or Social Thinking ®-style), to sentence and narrative formulation, to modifying curriculum topics into an engaging form. I have often covered these techniques in workshops and lamented that there wasn''t a good free app allowing people to get their feet wet with comic-making.

article thumbnail

3 people & 3 ideas for using Twitter to share, discover, & connect with students

The Innovative Educator

'Twitter ( www.Twitter.com ) is a great tool for sharing, discovering, and connecting with others who care about the same ideas and information. You can use Twitter right on your phone without downloading any software and even with just one teacher cell phone per class, contributions can be made and modeled anywhere, anytime. Twitter has become such a popular tool because it asks one question, "What's happening?

Twitter 80
article thumbnail

The Battle of the Authoring Tools: A 10-Point Comparison for Picking the Right One

Speaker: Chris Paxton McMillin, President of D3 Training Solutions

There are plenty of great authoring tools for developing eLearning, but the one you select could directly impact your course's outcomes. Depending upon your learners’ needs and your organization’s performance goals, you could be overlooking considerations that impact the both effectiveness of your courses and how long it takes to finish them. From general capabilities to specific workflow structures, some aspects are critical when it comes to learning objectives and deadlines.

article thumbnail

Being a Courageous Educator and School Leader in an Era of Foolish Education Policy

The 21st Century Principal

'“It takes courage to stand up to absurdity when all around you people remain comfortably seated. But if we need one more reason to do the right thing, consider this: The kids are watching us, deciding how to live their lives in part by how we''ve chosen to live ours." Alfie Kohn, "Encouraging Educator Courage," Education Week Online In a post to Education Week entitled, "Encouraging Educator Courage" Alfie Kohn calls on educators to be courageous in the face of outrageous mandates and policies

article thumbnail

5 technologies to promote creative learning

Learning with 'e's

'Teachers are constantly searching for new ways to promote good learning. If those methods can also encourage creative thinking, they are even more welcome in the classroom. Technology can provide some of those creative solutions. Here are just five ideas for using technology to support learning, while promoting creative thinking, and I''m sure that with a little thought you will be able to adapt them to your own subject area. 1) Senses: In this picture the five traditional human senses are depi

article thumbnail

7 Ways to Follow STEMxCon Sept. 19-21, 2013

mauilibrarian2 in Olinda

'There''s a way to follow the first online GLOBAL S T E M x EDUCATION CONFERENCE for everyone! First, why the x? "The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics acronym is no longer adequate, as it is missing well over 20 letters that represent key skills & disciplines. As such, x = Computer Science (CS), Computational Thinking (CT), Inquiry (I), Creativity & Innovation (CI), Global Fluency (GF), Collaboration ( C ),and other emerging disciplines & 21st century skills. " The o

STEM 67
article thumbnail

iPad Mania with ThingLink

MSEDTechie

'Using ThingLink is a cool way to embed videos, websites, and other tools into an image. Check out this iPad Mania thinglink created to share useful iPad information. Try using Thinglink to highlight student projects, using a class picture. Sort of like a digital portfolio for your classroom.

iPad 59
article thumbnail

Reimagining Chickering & Gamson's Principles Post-Pandemic: Technology's Central Role in Modern Edu

This white paper examines and proposes revisions to the "Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education" introduced by Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson in 1987 for today's technology-driven world.