March, 2011

article thumbnail

Teaching in the 21st Century

A Principal's Reflections

'I came across a great video this morning that really does a nice job illustrating how teaching should be evolving to meet the needs of 21st Century Learners. Watching the video reinforced for me the direction that we are taking New Milford High School. The question now becomes are the pedagogical shifts described above taking hold in classrooms? If not, which I assume is the overwhelming answer, what has to be done?

Video 295
article thumbnail

Quick List Of iPad Resources For The Classroom

The Web20Classroom

'One question that comes into my inbox or on Twitter a lot lately is one dealing with iPads. Many schools and classrooms all over are investing in these devices and educators want to know how to use them effectively, apps to consider and more. In keeping with the "My Favorite Resources" theme ( last week I listed my favorite resources for talking about Twitter ) here are my go-to resources when people ask me about iPads in the Classroom.

iPad 262
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

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

article thumbnail

Just How Bad Is the Budget Situation in North Carolina? Video by NC High Students

The 21st Century Principal

'I think this video says about all that can be said about both our budget crisis in North Carolina, and the approach our political establishment is taking with budget cuts. This video was created by Career Technical Education students in a multimedia class. It is a very moving tribute to what is currently happening in education in North Carolina. The Impact of Budget Cuts in Education from WNDR News on Vimeo.

Video 102
article thumbnail

Testimony in Favor of Texas SB 6 Instructional Materials Allotment

EdTechSandyK

'Today I gave testimony in favor of the passage of Texas SB 6 , which institutes an Instructional Materials Allotment (IMA) in lieu of the textbook allotment and the former Technology Allotment. SB 6, if passed into law, would give local school districts in Texas more discretionary control over how they spend state monies designated for instructional materials.

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

Welcome to GlogsterEDU Week!

SpeechTechie

'I have been meaning to write about GlogsterEDU for some time, but have put it off because, though a wonderful and easy resource to use, it requires a series of posts to really do it justice. It was hard to commit. But here we go- It''s GlogsterEDU week on SpeechTechie! GlogsterEDU is a free (with some nice paid features) site based on the concept of "poster yourself.

article thumbnail

QR Code Quest: a Library Scavenger Hunt

The Daring Librarian

'( UPDATE : This is the original post about this mobile media digital discovery lesson but I''ve also updated it recently in Part Deux ! Pls. check it out! :-) I remixed this awesome scavenger hunt originally created by Joyce Valenza and added a QR Code Twist! I re-worked some of the questions for a lesson with my adorable ESOL kids (we have 35 right now in our ESOL program & one cute be-freckled girl just came yesterday & speaks no English at all but she LOVED scanning the codes when I

More Trending

article thumbnail

What's Wrong With Google Telling Me Everything?

The Web20Classroom

'The topic of Critical Thinking and Google Searches seems to poke it''s head out via various discussions and conversations every now and then. Even on #edchat last night the topic centered around moving kids away from thinking Google has all the answers to thinking critically. First let me clarify. I use the term Google Searches loosely. That has come to mean all searches but there are obviously other search engines out there (Like Bing and Yahoo) that are still relevant and used in schools.

Google 172
article thumbnail

4 Ways Twitter Has Changed the Way I Do My Job as an Educator

The 21st Century Principal

'Today, I stumbled across an article from CNN entitled “ 5 Ways Twitter Changed How We Communicate.” CNN posted the article in honor of Twitter’s 5th birthday and to describe the 5 ways Twitter has “changed the digital communication game.” According to the CNN article, Twitter has basically changed communication in the following ways: Made a fast flow of information possible: In other words, Twitter has made it possible for news to spread extremely fast.

Twitter 93
article thumbnail

Ugh. Classic Politics Now Extends to Social Networking in Education.

The Learning Revolution Has Begun

'The United States Department of Education is sponsoring a program called Connected Online Communities of Practice , a three-year initiative. 1. I run what is arguably the largest social network for educators, Classroom 2.0 with 54,000 members. Can anyone tell me why nobody from the Department of Education called to ask my advice on this project? 2.

PLE 75
article thumbnail

Apps Worth Paying For.

SpeechTechie

'In yesterday''s post, I described how some apps that are attractively touted as "free" are really not worth using because of obtrusive ads or limitations designed to tempt us toward "in-app" purchases , with a virtual food app used as an example. I want to again emphasize that there are many specialized apps for SLPs that are definitely worth paying for (see my friends at Smarty Ears and RinnApps , to start), but there are also a wealth of "small change" apps that are better alternatives to fre

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

What They Should Teach in School

The Electric Educator

'I''m reading Linchpin by Seth Godin. Godin argues that only two things should be taught in school: 1. How to solve problems. 2. How to lead. [ source ] I tend to agree with him. Learning facts does not set you apart in today''s information driven culture. It''s what you do with what you know and how you can lead others to use what you know that is important.

Twitter 66
article thumbnail

Our Quest for More R&R

A Principal's Reflections

'Many of you probably viewed the title of this post and immediately thought of rest and relaxation. I will be the first one to admit that we all need more of this, but the focus of my post is increasing rigor and relevancy in schools. While attending the 2011 NASSP Conference in San Francisco, CA I listened to a keynote by Dr. Bill Daggett. His message centered on the need for increasing rigor and relevancy in schools.

Analysis 208
article thumbnail

Twitter-It's Not Just What's For Breakfast.

The Web20Classroom

'For some, Twitter is a place where people talk about themselves, show pictures of what they are eating or a platform for celebrities to make sure they are even more a part of our lives. And certainly those tweets and tweeters are out there. A simple search of a few key words will reveal a world of misfits, narcissists and sometimes even worse. And this is what I am up against everyday.

Twitter 129
article thumbnail

Perhaps It’s Time to Rethink Term “Gifted”?

The 21st Century Principal

'“Talent is not a thing; it’s a process,” is the argument made in David Shenk’s book The Genius in All of Us. For years, the nature versus nurture debate has simmered, with most of us coming out on the side of nature at times. Since psychologists Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray warned that our society was increasingly becoming stratified between those who have the genes for intelligence and high cognitive functioning, and those who are unfortunate in that they inherited genetically the lot

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.

article thumbnail

Creating A Comic Life

The Daring Librarian

'So, I get this Tweet & email question a lot." How do you make those At-A-Glance Comic Tutorials! ? " I''ve mentioned it before but here''s more.it''s Comic Life ! The above comic was probably my first - I created in 2007 for my Daring Tech Wiki about Comic Life (with classroom ideas!) and the below comics (all 3 pages!) were created by the awesome Media Specialist & my colleague & friend Mr.

Wiki 72
article thumbnail

When a Free App is Not Worth It.

SpeechTechie

'We all are getting a bit spoiled by free apps. For our whole career, we have been willing to pay a small price for books, games, rewards for kids, or items that would enhance our therapy. Then the App Store came along, initially offering tons of free apps. Their value once established, app developers are now reasonably expecting us to pay a couple of dollars for their work, but I still often hear people (SLPs and non) profess that they vastly prefer to download free apps.

iPad 70
article thumbnail

Introduction to Google Apps for Education

The Electric Educator

'The video below is a basic introduction to Google Apps for Education. It explains the difference between a regular Google account and a Google Apps account. Hopefully this will help clarify some common misunderstandings and emphasize the additional benefits of integrating Google Apps for Education into your school. If you are interesting in "Going Google" you might find this post on Google Apps Training Resources helpful.

Google 64
article thumbnail

The Good Stuff

A Principal's Reflections

'One of the best parts of the month for me is compiling the monthly Principal''s Report. When I became the Principal at New Milford High School in 2007 I felt that it was extremely important to communicate with various stakeholders (parents, BOE members, Central Office, staff, etc.) all of the great things going on at the school. Not only has this been a great source of information for the community, but it also helps keep me in the loop as it is impossible to be everywhere at once.

Adobe 189
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

New Posted Resources 03/22/2011

The Web20Classroom

'Free Technology for Teachers: 11 Good Digital Storytelling Resources tags: digitalstorytelling favorite Interactive NETS*S tags: nets ISTE favorite Why Formative Assessments Matter | Edutopia tags: formativeassessment assessment favorite What should a networked educational leader tweet about? tags: twitter leadership favorite Tony Vincent''s Learning in Hand - Podcasting tags: podcast favorite Posted from Diigo.

Resources 100
article thumbnail

Engaging More Administrators in Using Social Media

The 21st Century Principal

'How do we engage administrators more in using social media and in developing a Professional Learning Network? That was the question at the center of my presentation at the annual North Carolina Technology in Education Society’s (NCTIES) 2011 conference in Raleigh, North Carolina. As I point out in my presentation, which is included below, the media horror stories often give administrators from the school level to the superintendent level pause when it comes to using social media tools, and ther

article thumbnail

Facebook, Farcebook, and Fakebook

The Daring Librarian

'So we have a spankin new iMac computer lab in our building and I''m really chuffed ! (British for freakin excited!) 30 brilliant new iMacs all lined up & shiny.ready to do some cool stuff with the kids! (and yes, throughout this post I''ll be showing off the pics - your hard-earned tax money at work - please notice the Think Different Apple posters laminated & stapled to the wall - don''t hate!

article thumbnail

A Shamrock Optical Illusion

SpeechTechie

'Some years ago I was looking for a St. Patrick''s Day activity and stumbled upon this simple, great one related to the five senses. See, (pun intended) if you stare at a red object for 30 seconds or so, then look at a white background, it creates an illusion of a green floating object of the same shape, for most people. Kids really loved the activity and, the following year, I created a worksheet for it using PowerPoint that would allow it to be repeated at home.

69
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

Dynamic Digital Portfolios #SXSWedu

EdTechSandyK

'Notes from SXSWedu 2011 breakout session. Carol Teitelman Region XIII Distance Learning Link to Prezi from presentation: [link] Dr. Helen Barrett [link] Portfolios fall into two different types. (Epsilen allows you to do both at the same time.) Internal (learning or reflection) External (showcase or accountability) Reflection a key part of keeping a portfolio.

article thumbnail

Reflecting on ASCD

A Principal's Reflections

'As I sit here in the San Francisco airport after my flight was cancelled (I got on a later flight though) I cannot help but reflect on my first ASCD Annual Conference. What an incredible experience! The excitement began back in the late summer when I was notified that my proposal to present was accepted. The title of my session was Exploring Best Practices in Social Networking.

article thumbnail

New Posted Resources 03/15/2011

The Web20Classroom

'We should talk – what are you doing to ensure student safety online? | Edublogs - education blogs for teachers, students and institutions tags: onlinesafety digitalcitizenship favorite Green Eggs & Facebook: 15 Social Media Tips from Dr. Seuss tags: socialmedia favorite PBL DO-IT-YOURSELF : Guidance, Tools and Tips for Your Projects | Buck Institute for Education tags: PBL favorite 3 Reasons Why Students Should Be Using Dropbox tags: dropbox favorite "I Don''t Get It" - How to Get Your Students

Resources 100
article thumbnail

Textbook Publishers Are Major Obstacle to Adopting E-Books in Education

The 21st Century Principal

'I was disappointed this morning in watching textbook adoption presentations done by several major publishers. I might as well have been sitting in a textbook presentation from the mid-1990s. My hopes and expectations for seeing cutting edge technological innovation from these companies were dashed to pieces. Somewhere inside I felt a bit sorry for these publishers.

article thumbnail

The Roses and Thorns of an LMS Strategy: How to Flourish with the Right LMS

Speaker: Amanda Davis, Chief Experience Officer and Liam O'Malley, VP of Association Solutions

The "new normal" is now a little less new, a little more normal. Does that mean your current LMS strategy is in need of a refresh? Is your organization or association leaning into the always-evolving eLearning environment to ensure you have the tools and content to remain relevant through all this change? There are many complex decision-making processes within your learning & development strategy and LMS lifecycle management, including: Selection.

article thumbnail

Insert a Threaded Discussions in A Google Site

The Electric Educator

'One of my great disappointments with Google Sites is the fact that it doesn''t have a threaded discussion feature. I have been told that this feature will be added in the future, but for now, it''s only a dream. For classroom teachers this is a problem because discussion forums are a great way to encouraged discussion and debate outside of class. My initial disappointment gave way to excitement when I discovered the Tal.ki Sites Gadget.

Google 60
article thumbnail

HubBub Games

SpeechTechie

'HubBub Games is a resource you might want to explore and bookmark for younger students or those with earlier developmental skills. The Hub is apparently a TV network with a variety of kids'' shows, and this site is a selection of interactives related to the programs and characters. There are a whole bunch of games that would allow for multiple trials and visits in order to build concepts and skills.

article thumbnail

A Special Request for Student Videos on Changing Education!

The Learning Revolution Has Begun

'I''m at the world-famous TED Conference --you know, where all the great videos come from. :) I''m actually part of a project called TEDActive, where as part of a group focused on education we were asked to consider a project we could do that would impact education, and especially would provide students with a chance to play a central role in that impact.

Video 62
article thumbnail

Is lecture capture the worst educational technology?

Mark Smithers

Many institutions seem to be completely obsessed with lecture capture technology as a method of generating flexibly accesible learning content. For me though the large scale implementation of lecture capture is probably one of the costliest and strategically misguided educational technologies that an institution can adopt. Now before I go on let me say that I wouldn’t be here now if not for lecture capture.

article thumbnail

Building the Foundation for a Modern K-12 Classroom

K-12 looks different these days. But one thing remains the same: you need a reliable learning platform that serves as the foundation for teaching and learning––for all students, in a variety of learning experiences. Discover how the Instructure Learning Platform supports today's K-12 classroom through: A central, consistent, connected hub of the digital learning environment.