May, 2013

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Game Design as a Catalyst For Learning

A Principal's Reflections

'Over the course of this school year, I have been fortunate enough to share ideas on technology integration with Judy Wilson , my children’s principal at P.S. 3 in Staten Island, NY. Many of these conversations focused on my own son’s use of technology as a catalyst for creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking developed by playing Minecraft and using iMovie to storyboard and create his own movies.

Learning 349
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Going Global-Tips And Resources For Global Collaborations

The Web20Classroom

'I had a wonderful conversation this morning on Twitter with a teacher from New Zealand that commented on a tweet about using Skype Classroom to go global. She mentioned how her students were going to Skype and talk to kids in Iowa. How awesome is that! I just love the fact that the world gets so much smaller when we use technology like that. There really are endless learning opportunities for students (and teachers as well).

Resources 280
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Google Apps and Chromebooks Training Resources

Educational Technology Guy

'I put this list together for our district as we are going with GAFE and Chromebooks and I figured I''d share it here too. Google Apps and Chromebooks Training Resources Google Apps for Education (GAFE) GAFE Training Center [link] Learn how to use GAFE [link] GAFE User Guides [link] Google in Education - Teacher Resources [link] Google for Educators Resources [link] GCF Learn Free - Google Training [link] Google Apps Crib Sheets [link] Recordings -- Innovative Chromebook Teachers - Hangout on Ai

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May this Gobstopper (Now Called Curriculet) be Ever Lasting!

Baker's B.Y.O.D.

'UPDATE AS OF 1/15/14: The company Gobstopper has changed its name to Curriculet, but this update hasn''t changed how I use Curriculet with my students. The stories and information in the below post still hold true despite the change in company name. While I''ve written quite a bit about assessing writing (ad nauseum) via digital means, reading instruction and assessment have remained a primarily paper-based enterprise in my class.

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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.

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4 Ways to Provoke Change In Our Education System

The Innovative Educator

'Guest post by Jaime R. Wood In his most recent TED Talk , Sir Ken Robinson says, “There are 3 principles on which human life flourishes, and they are contradicted by the culture of education under which most teachers have to labor and most students have to endure.diversity.curiosity.creativity.” What does it take to infuse these principles into the education systems we build?

System 110
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Mobile and Project-Based Learning

The Mobile Native

'Here is a list of resources to help you get started with Project-Based Learning. 1) Exploring Resources for PBL 2) 10 Practical Ideas for Better Project-Based Learning in the Classroom 3) Leading PBL Schoolwide? Tips to Get Started 4) 15 Tools for Better Project-Based Learning 5) 10 Apps for More Organized Project-Based Learning 6) Diving into Project-Based Learning: Designing the Rubric 7) PBL: Managing Your Project 8) PBL or Just Another Project: Use This Checklist to Find Out 9) Project-Base

Mobility 109

More Trending

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Google Tools To Check Out

The Web20Classroom

'Most folks are familiar with the most common Google tools. Search, Hangouts, Docs, Mail, Drive all are used by countless folks around the world. In fact this blog is written with Google Blogger. I use Google and live there most days. But did you know there are some under used features outside of the typical ones that have great value? Here is just a handful of some of the Google Tools to check out for your classroom.

Google 201
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Google accepting applications for next Google Teacher Academy (GTA) in Chicago July 24-25

Educational Technology Guy

'Google is now accepting applications for the next Google Teacher Academy (GTA) in Chicago, Illinois on July 24-25. This is a great, free, professional development experience for educators that Google runs around the world. Teachers who have attended always give it rave reviews. If you use Google''s tools, or plan to, and want to learn how to use them more effectively in education, this is your chance.

Google 228
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Happy Birthday Blog!

Baker's B.Y.O.D.

'My blog turns one-year old today! 21,263 page views Thank you to all who have read my blog this year! I know I haven''t posted much lately, but I have a list of topics to write about once I get through the end of the school year. Please continue reading and sharing my posts! Coming Attractions: Gobstopper Edcanvas Voice Comments & 121 Writing Thinglink Padlet Class blogging And in case you missed them, here are some of my favorite posts.

BYOD 110
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3 Ways to Create a Climate of Possibility and Creativity in Our Schools

The 21st Century Principal

'“The real role of leadership in education is not and should not be command and control. The real role of leadership is climate control; creating a climate of possibility, and if you do that, people will rise to it and achieve things you did not anticipate and couldn''t have expected.” Sir Ken Robinson, TED Talk "How to Escape Education''s Death Valley" What is ultimately wrong with No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, and the Common Core State Standards?

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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.

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Was #JeffBliss disrespectful for using his #StuVoice to demand a beyond-the-packet education?

The Innovative Educator

'By now, you''ve probably seen the video of high school student Jeff Bliss demanding an end to what he calls "packet teaching." Instead he puts out a call to action for teachers to work to touch the hearts of kids to open their minds. The interaction was ignited when his teacher told him to stop his b g about the test and kicked him out of class. A student flipped open the cell phone, caught his reaction on tape, and published it.

Education 102
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Personalizing Learning for All Students With OpenCourseWare

A Principal's Reflections

'Cross-posted at SmartBlog on Education. Around this time last year I received what I thought was an odd request. Juliana Meehan, a teacher from a neighboring district, contacted me and asked if I would agree to mentor her as part of her training to become an administrator as part of the NJ EXCEL program. Now at this time my plate was extremely full and, as a result, I was very reluctant to take on this additional responsibility.

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The New @eduClipper

The Web20Classroom

'I have been a big fan of eduClipper and an even bigger fan of the their founder, Adam Bellow. Adam is a great friend of mine and I have seen, first-hand, the dedication, countless hours, and sweat he has put into eduClipper. And it definitely shows in this latest round of updates. What is eduClipper? Think of it as Pinterest, only more awesome and with an educational focus.

Policies 192
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PBS KIDS' Design Squad Nation - great STEM resources and lessons

Educational Technology Guy

'PBS KIDS'' Design Squad Nation is an Emmy Award winning program with STEM related videos, activities, games and an interactive community. There is also a Parents and Educators section with lesson plans, curriculum guides, and more. There are some great new features to it, including a Solar System unit with games, activities, and lesson resources about our solar system, a roller coaster project where students compete to build the best roller coaster out of poster board, and a variety of other re

STEM 202
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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.

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The Existentialism of Candy Crush

Baker's B.Y.O.D.

'So, I''ve been playing a lot of Candy Crush lately. yeah, that addicting Facebook game. yup, that one. I know I shouldn''t admit it, but. there is some relevancy. While I usually write about technology in the classroom, I think it''s appropriate considering the events of the past two weeks to talk about how seemingly silly games serve an important purpose.

Facebook 103
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Teaching Active Reputation Management: 5 Steps for Sanitizing Facebook Accounts

The 21st Century Principal

'“Collectively, all of the digital content you create, and that others create about you, becomes your online reputation. And today, that’s the reputation that matters the most.” Matt Ivester, lol…OMG! What Every Student Needs to Know about Online Reputation Management, Digital Citizenship and Cyberbullying In his book, lol.OMG! What Every Student Needs to Know about Online Reputation Management , Digital Citizenship and Cyberbullying, Matt Ivester repeatedly cautions high school students that “W

Facebook 107
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How well does your school meet student expectations? Take this quiz to find out.

The Innovative Educator

'The Leaving to Learn movement, started by Elliot Washor and Charles Mojkowski is built on the idea that a great way to learn to find success in the world is to be in the world. The first step is taking down the barriers between school and the outside world and letting students leave, to learn. Washor and Mojokowski recently published a book on the topic.

Meeting 100
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The Capstone Experience

A Principal's Reflections

'One of our guiding beliefs here at New Milford High School is that our students will find purpose and meaning in their respective learning experiences. Over the years we have added a series of new courses (19 in just two years), re-written the curriculum of existing courses, made available online courses as part of the VHS Collaborative , and developed numerous authentic learning experiences focusing on the unique interests of our learners.

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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.

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Common Core Academy Learning Opportunities From Discovery Education

The Web20Classroom

'A long time ago, Francis Bacon said that knowledge is power … This summer, teachers can empower their teaching with meaningful and actionable knowledge about the Common Core Standards at Discovery Education''s Academies! As a trusted educational partner, Discovery Education has worked with thousands of educational leaders to transform teaching and learning.

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CloudConvert - online file format conversion

Educational Technology Guy

'CloudConvert is a free, online file format conversion service that lets you easily convert files from different formats. Simply select, or drag and drop, your files, select options (email when done, send to Dropbox, send to Google Drive) and off you go. As it''s name implies, everything is done in the cloud with no software to download. It also works in mobile browsers so you can convert files on the go to be able to view them on your mobile device.

eBook 190
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Close Read Complex Text, and Annotate with Diigo--Part 3

wwwatanabe

'Close reading is a strategy for reading complex text. In Part 1 , the focus is how to do a close reading. The focus in Part 2 is how to annotate with iPads. The focal points of this post are the teacher steps in close reading; how to create text dependent questions for informational text in 6th-12th grades; annotating in Diigo; and creating writing activities to go with close reading.

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Transforming Our Schools by Changing Mindsets Not by Buying More Technology

The 21st Century Principal

'“Teacher mind frames are the most important enhancer and barrier to students’ learning.” Alan Bain and Mark Weston, The Learning Edge: What Technology Can Do to Educate All Children Our relentless pursuit for some magical formula that will suddenly transform our schools is a fruitless quest. There are no magical formulas or tools, and there are no heroes who will ride into our schools and school districts and suddenly save the day and turn our schools into magical places of learning and engagem

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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

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The packet-driven classroom

The Innovative Educator

'Jeff Bliss got our attention when he shared his frustration with his teacher, classmates, and the world about his learning environment. The now viral video captures a room of passionless students, some with their heads down, some with a facepalm, some staring into space, all silently sitting at their empty desks seemingly disconnected not only from each other, but also from their behind-a-desk-fortress teacher.

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If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going, You’ll End Up Somewhere Else

A Principal's Reflections

'The following is a guest post by Juliana Meehan. As I sat with my stack of 100+ personal narratives waiting for grading, the enormity of the task threatened to swamp whatever energy I had. After thirteen years of teaching high school and middle school language arts, the idea of having to mark those papers with notations like “run-on” and “fragment” ad nauseam drove me to seek a different solution.

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"We Do Listen"-Animated Books about Social Cognition and Skills

SpeechTechie

'The We Do Listen Foundation has produced some great books that are available both as hardcovers and free animated versions on their website. The stories feature Harold B. Wigglebottom, who often commits a series of social errors and learns through them- thus providing a good context for teaching story grammar. In particular, "Harold B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen" is a helpful additional context for teaching Whole Body Listening (a term originally created by Suzanne Truesdale and also discuss

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Wonderopolis - free resource for find the answers to what students wonder

Educational Technology Guy

'Wonderopolis is a great, free resource that has some great resources to help students learn and explore all kinds of topics. It has topics ranging from the science of why the sky is blue to how sound effects are made to pretty much any question, or "wonder" a child has. There are quizzes to help reinforce knowledge and connect to related ideas, mobile design and navigation, social networking features, ways for users to share ideas, and over 900 different topics of wonder.

Resources 160
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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.

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Learning theories for the digital age

Learning with 'e's

'I pointed out recently that many of the older theories of pedagogy were formulated in a pre-digital age. I blogged about some of the new theories that seem appropriate as explanatory frameworks for learning in a digital age. These included heutagogy , which describes a self-determined approach to learning, a new model of peer-peer learning known as paragogy , a post modernist '' rhizomatic '' learning explanation, distributed learning and connectivist theory , and also a short essay on the digi

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Which Model of Project-Based Learning Is Needed in 21st Century Schools?

The 21st Century Principal

'“PBL has been practiced in various ways in education and has become increasingly common with the advent of of digital technologies in recent years.” Yong Zhao, World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students Project-Based Learning (PBL) is being touted as the 21st century answer to how we should be educating students and the perfect delivery-system for the Common Core State Standards.

Learning 103
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Wrong! Free computers don’t affect educational outcomes

The Innovative Educator

'In case you missed it, a wrong-minded study was released this month from the National Bureau of Economic Research that says that computer ownership does not affect educational outcomes. Makes you wonder how on earth earth such misguided studies can even be commissioned. Also makes you curious about who is really behind the funding of research that misleads readers into believing that poor kids don’t need the same tools their wealthier peers use for success.

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Discovery Education's Common Core Academies

A Principal's Reflections

'Educators across America are grappling with what the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) mean for their instruction and have key questions around successful implementation: What are the core components of the CCSS and how do they impact me? How do I integrate the CCSS most effectively into my curriculum and instruction? How do I create assessments that align to the CCSS?

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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.