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normairisrodz

5 Ways Technology Will Impact Higher Ed in 2013 - Forbes - 5 views

www.forbes.com/...-will-impact-higher-ed-in-2013

technology HigherEd higher ed education MOOC learning 6329 21stcenturylearning teaching learners

shared by normairisrodz on 06 Oct 13 - No Cached
  • In fact, over the last two years, enrollment in the for-profit education sector was down and industry giants such as the University of Phoenix announced the closure of some of its facilities. 
    • normairisrodz
      normairisrodz on 06 Oct 13
       
      This was surprising to me. With the abundance of advertising for such for-profit companies, I thought they would be growing. It would seem that even though students demand online education to meet their busy lifestyles, they still demand quality (as shown in the annotation below).
  • Over the last two years, the number of top-tier Universities with at least some online activity has more than doubled, in large part due to MOOCs. 
  • By leveraging online platforms, lectures can now be pre-recorded and core content accessed by students any time, anywhere, and as many times as they need.  This means that classroom time can instead be used to augment the lecture content, whether through discussion, group exercises or quizzes. 
    • normairisrodz
      normairisrodz on 06 Oct 13
       
      Educators can spend more time applying the knowledge and concepts introduced by engaging students in activities during class time instead of focusing on teaching content alone.
    • Martha Rodriguez
      Martha Rodriguez on 07 Oct 13
       
      Norma, our institution is currently using Echo 360 Lecture Capture. Echo360 makes it easy to transform existing courses into distance education classes. Its blended learning technology enables teachers to provide students who can't attend classes in person with fundamentally the same dynamic experience and interactivity that teachers provide their on-campus students. Plus, moving courses online allows teachers to time shift their courses to meet the scheduling needs of students. We have had positive feedback from teachers using Echo360.
  • ...3 more annotations...
  • what will be the cost to sustain MOOCs over time, will these courses count for credit and if and how will they be packaged together into a certificate or degree program? That said,the hybrid model (where part of a program is taught online and part is taught in person) is one that we can expect to see more fully embraced in this coming year. 
    • normairisrodz
      normairisrodz on 06 Oct 13
       
      This article posed some very common questions regarding MOOC's? What is your opinion of the questions posed in this section?
  • There is a huge opportunity for instructors to create a more in-depth learning experience
  • The notion that faculty can increasingly reach a greater of number of students in their ‘classrooms’ means the per unit cost of teaching a student could start to decrease, but only if you can achieve similar or better learning outcomes, and simply moving lecture content online will not solve the cost problem. 
    • normairisrodz
      normairisrodz on 06 Oct 13
       
      I had not thought about lowering the cost of education as a result of moving curriculum into an online platform. This section was quite interesting to me as I had never quite thought about this particular aspect of online education.
  • normairisrodz on 06 Oct 13
     
    This article focuses on how institutions of higher education are adapting to emerging technologies to meet the needs of their students.
  • ...5 more comments...
  • Juan Saldana on 07 Oct 13
     
    You are correct in that higher education is having to adapt to more technologically experienced students. It is really difficult for a student of that caliber to go into a classroom that is taught with a blackboard and chalk. You have hit it on the nail with Rule #4 about boring things, teachers and instructors do need to "step it up" in order to keep these new students engaged.
  • Martha Rodriguez on 07 Oct 13
     
    Juan, you are correct. Instructors need to step it up and use more of technology to engage students. The problem with this that many instructors are not tech savvy and want to continue using the old teaching strategies. Some of this faculty are intemediated to use a computer; using other devices would drive them insane.
  • Adam Hovde on 07 Oct 13
     
    I agree Juan. Many of my students are coming back to tell me that their college classes are basically the same as when we went to college. All lecture based and you never really get to know your professor. In some inservice we had I saw some youtube videos about students that are leaving college because they re not learning anything new in the classes. They could learn everything online if they wanted too. Colleges might have to make some changes if these MOOC or other online classes dip into their attendance base.
  • Jennifer Henson on 08 Oct 13
     
    My apologies for starting a new topic and THEN reading this one. The overlap is great! I am glad, though, to have the Forbes article to reference in addition to the one I supplied from the NYT. This sentence from the article caught my attention in particular, "The beauty of teaching analytics is that teachers will have real time information on how students learn and can augment future plans accordingly." For my research project I've been interviewing administrators from online high schools. A couple of them have mentioned how incredibly valuable it is to have analytical data, such as the amount of time a student spends on a page, site, assignment, or test as well as all the concrete test and assignment data to identify where they struggle. One principal told me that when she surveyed her teachers last year, she heard two things again and again, "You'll have to pry the computer out of my cold, dead hands before I go back to in-class instruction," and "You have broken me and I won't be able to return to a brick-and-mortar setting where I don't have the ability to gather data like I do in an online setting" This particular school (Mountain Heights Academy) has a focus that is heavily data driven and student-centered. She told me, "Teachers are skeptical at first, but have really come to see how much looking at the data allows them to create personalized instruction that can make all the difference in learning for the kids."
  • Maria Austin on 08 Oct 13
     
    This is a very interesting article and quite thought provoking. I should start by saying that I love MOOCs. I have taken a dozen classes at different MOOCs and most of them have been very high quality. Teachers are passionate about the topic they are teaching because they are normally topics they don't get to offer at their universities for a number of reasons. Some of the courses even offer undergraduate credit hours. I don't think they represent any threat to the standard university program and, for the most part, my impression is that students who take these courses do it for the sake of learning.
  • shaila a on 08 Oct 13
     
    It's a fascinating article. Sounds like all of us enrolled in this program/ certificate are in the right place at the right time! MOOCs have worked for my first year teacher cousin. She is a teacher aide in the NYC public school and needed her +15 credits to get the raise that she wanted. MOOCs has made it possible for her. It would surely open up many opportunities for young, struggling professionals (and others) who would like to take classes at their own pace should MOOCs offer online degrees.
  • Jackie Byford on 13 Oct 13
     
    I know this article focused on higher education, but the same things are happening in public k-12 with the option of online schooling. It is a platform for kids who do not necessarily "fit" into the public education mold and many students are graduating and heading on to college from such program as K12 here in Texas. Just as certain technologies were integrated over the last decade such as televisions and tape recorders, those of us who are educators need to move with the times. The fact that higher education is offering such classes as MOOCs and online classes, it gives adults like me the opportunity to continue my education at a cheaper cost and without losing as much time with my family. I do feel that as we move through the 21st century online education will become a norm... and it offers opportunity and a way to reach the needs of all students.
Jackie Byford

Technology adds to students' math comprehension | eSchool News | eSchool News - 7 views

www.eschoolnews.com/...to-students-math-comprehension

technology math comprehension

shared by Jackie Byford on 29 Sep 13 - No Cached
  • The animations are so powerful; bisecting an angle becomes a really visual experience,” Bates said.
  • The report found that students often referred to the roles of visual imagery, animations, and videos in helping them understand key concepts.
  • Moving imagery was clearly a key means for [students] to ‘see what is meant,’ rather than their trying to ‘imagine what is meant’ when it is just described by teachers,” the report found
  • ...1 more annotation...
  • the [MathsAlive] resources enabled a more collaborative environment to emerge, where they were working with students to construct problems and devise methods to solve them,” the study found.
    • Jackie Byford
      Jackie Byford on 29 Sep 13
       
      This article discusses using technology in the Mathematics classroom with findings that suggest that the experiences by students with the animations and visual imagery help them "see" the mathematical concepts verses having to visualize how math works. For many of us this is the case. We learn better when we see or have hands-on experiences with the concepts we are learning. There is a deeper understanding because it takes more for the brain to encode the information into memory when a true experience with critical thinking comes together simultaneously, (Medina, 2008). Schools spend millions of dollars on textbook adoptions every year, needless to say it is a booming business. If research shows that hands-on visual learning will improve not only the learning of the material, but improve critical thinking to empower and build the next generation of problem solvers, why do many educators still stand at the front of the room and lecture from a textbook or tell their students to read this chapter and fill out this worksheet? Compare the experiences you had as a child in school with the experiences today's children have with technology, not only at school, but at home with electronic devices such as ipads. Do you think the next generation that started with an ipad or computer in their hands by age 5 will be more experienced learners because of the visuals and hands-on thinking that is needed to work these devise? Has the induction of these devices helped you become a more in depth better learner? Medina, J. (2008). Brain Rules. Seattle, WA: Pear Press.
  • Maria Austin on 30 Sep 13
     
    Very interesting! Your comments made me wonder if teachers, more often than not, stand in the way of learning more than trying to act as mediators. It is sad to see that young children start their lives at school eager to learn and being active participants of that amazing process of discovery that is the acquisition of knowledge and then see them 3 years down the road, so discouraged and demotivated! What happened? Somehow that is regarded as a normal process, part of their growing and maturing. I have to say that I disagree. Answering your questions...I belong to the generation of the Commodore, Basics and Texas Instruments. I remember spending hours programming my computer. It did make me more curious about technology and I found fascinating that just a few symbols could create so much magic. Children nowadays do not have that much of a connection with the process of creation but they do develop a lot more hands on skills that are essentially the ones they will need in the future. These skills are key but they still require the development of critical thinking in order for them to acquire a more in depth knowledge of any topic. It is at this juncture that teachers are invaluable partners in the educational process. In my opinion, this should be the center of every planning and strategic use of educational methodologies.
  • ...10 more comments...
  • Martha Rodriguez on 30 Sep 13
     
    Jackie, I do think the next generation will have more experienced learners. There has never been a more important time to apply principles of development and learning when considering the use of cutting-edge technologies and new media. When the integration of technology and interactive media in early childhood programs is built upon solid developmental foundations, and early childhood professionals are aware of both the challenges and the opportunities, educators are positioned to improve program quality by intentionally leveraging the potential of technology and media for the benefit of every child.
  • Adam Hovde on 30 Sep 13
     
    I really liked the piece you picked for the discussion group. In my school district we are implementing a 1:x initiative that all students will have Ipads and use them in the classroom. I think this is great on some instances and bad on others. Like the discussion says kids learn more when a video or some other form of multimedea follows with instruction. I get that and I am trying to use this in my classroom. The hard part about this philosophy right now is most of the students that we have, have grown up with the Ipad as a toy not an educational device and having the students think about the Ipad as an educational device is harder said than done it seems. My son is in the 4th grade and was given an Ipad 2 weeks ago. He has been able to some great things with it as a learning tool BUT he still sees the Ipad as something he gets to play Mine Craft on and not a learning tool. My high school students are having a harder time using the Ipad for educational use. I did not mean to derail this thread with this topic but my experience is telling me that we are at a cross roads right now. We have students that started with pen and paper and slowly have moved to a more technology based education are struggling using the technology because they have only used the technology as a toy up until now. The students coming up have had the technology earlier in life and are able to use it in class but they are still having a hard time associating the technology with learning. I guess what I am saying is that I know that the use of the technology will help the students learn but the students are having a hard time realizing that the technology is an educational tool as well as a game. What can we do to help the students realize the powerful tools they have at their disposal these days that we did not growing up?
  • Jackie Byford on 30 Sep 13
     
    Maria, I have to admit that I am guilty of standing in the way of technology. It is hard to incorporate the technology in a way that is resourceful and useful. I think Adam hit the nail on the head when he talks about the fact that today's student thinks of the technology as a toy not an educational tool, even if they played educational games. Martha has the key that the integration of technologies needs to be built on a strong foundation so that the new generation can see the ipad as a tool instead of a toy.
  • Maria Austin on 02 Oct 13
     
    Jackie, You bring up very interesting points as do Adam and Martha. I would reflect on the different issues tackled maybe separating them into their different components. One element is the learning process: as Martha says, applying proper methodologies and evidence-based research in the classroom is essential. My question would be: as teachers, we have all been taught and trained in developmental theories and educational methodologies, however, very little of that seems to trickle into our practice, I wonder why. Another point would be the use of technology as such and the definition of a learning process: if the learning process is restricted to the acquisition of data, technology can do very little for us, since internet, ipads, etc. are, for the most part, meant to facilitate the spread of information. Maybe the emphasis should be on the development of skills that would allow students to process and discriminate sources and facts, and be able to apply them to a variety of real life situations. The acquisition of data should be dependent upon the development of higher order thinking skills. In this sense, the line separating the use of technology as a toy and the use of technology to facilitates the access to data is not very easy to draw. It has been argued that the development of problem solving skills and creativity is at the core of many games. Should the educational process be limited to games? Most certainly not, but, I think that technology is forcing us to redefine the way we see learning.
  • Jennifer Henson on 02 Oct 13
     
    Interesting dialogue! Maria, I completely agree that the emphasis should be on the development of higher order skills. I know, too, that technology can rapidly turn off students if it is slow or boring or whatever they are doing with it doesn't interest them. I think real learning is always going to come back to meeting students where they are and getting them to think in new ways about topics they care about--whether they are using technology or not. So technology may be forcing us to redefine the way we teach, but I don't think it's redefining the key elements of effective teaching.
  • Jeff Blackman on 04 Oct 13
     
    I'm amazed we know as much as we do given the way we were taught and how it is so "wrong" compared to the way our brains actually work. I think that says something for human resilience and adaptation. In spite of the classrooms we endured and seemingly endless lectures, a lot of us have still been able to come out ok and be pretty darned effective in our lives and jobs. Do I think the next generation will be more experienced learners because of the hands on nature of various devices they've been exposed to? Not necessarily. It still depends on how it is used. If all my 5 year old does is play some game on my iPhone, I don't know if that is making her a more experienced learner. Just like anything else, it takes the parent or educator to be involved and help the child use the device in the most effective way.
  • Jackie Byford on 06 Oct 13
     
    Maria you are absolutely correct! As educators we know what we should do, but it is not the easy road so we fall short sometimes in using proper methodologies. I believe there are many reasons "excuses" such as: classes are large with too many learning styles, paperwork gets in the way of planning, not enough time in class to apply methodologies. Let's face it when it comes down to the wire the use of methodologies are just good teaching skills, which should include the use of current technologies in the right context and for the right reason. I think too many times educational games just become "play" time and a break for the teacher to get other work done. They are called educational, but many times the kids just see the game not the educational aspect. Jennifer and Jeff, I don't think I could have said it any better. In order to be an effective teacher, one must incorporate the available tools in a way that meets the needs of the students. It all breaks down to how we use technology. Thinking about how "we" learned referring to those of us over 30 who did not have all this technology in school, we did turn out okay. If I talk to my colleagues who have taught more than 15 years they would say that the technology has taught our current students to be less effective at critical thinking when it comes to academics, yet they can learn, maneuver, and use problem solving skills to navigate the newest video games. Have any of you tried to play "Call of Duty" or "World of Warcraft?" They are not easy! It takes time, repetition, and good problem solving skills to get through each level. Maybe we as educators need to be more versed in the problem solving skills in popular games and be able to show our students the connection between the skills they use in the classroom and the skills they use in those games. It would give them the answer to that age old question, "Why am I learning this_____________?"
  • Maria Austin on 06 Oct 13
     
    Totally in accord, Jackie! Technology should be only one more tool and, consequently, it should be used only under certain criteria.
  • Juan Saldana on 07 Oct 13
     
    Teacher do become an obstacle in the classroom, but not of their own accord. They get their hands tied by state testing the ruins education and district politics that can end their careers. It is really sad to see what education has become, if you as a few generations before us, it was a privilege to go to school and today students seem to have to go kicking and screaming. The misconception I have gotten from several teachers that I know is that they have this odd belief that the technology is there to replace them or simply teach the class for them. Technology is a tool that is meant to be wielded by someone who understands it. I think in the next few years we are going to see an exodus of pre-technology teachers and and influx of Generation iPad teachers who are tech savvy and have grown up with the technology. I think that will be a game changer for education and good serving of job security for students in our field.
  • Katy Lu on 07 Oct 13
     
    I normally will skip articles which mention arithmetic. My eyes are easily caught by a visually appealing graphic, a photograph or a poem. But I absolutely agree that "animations and visual images help students see the mathematical concepts and to visualize how math works." Particularly when integrated learning with games, it will make learning more effective and proficient. I believe next generation children will definitely acquire a different learning style with technology, and is much unlike ours.
  • Jaime Villanueva on 14 Oct 13
     
    Jackie, i found a great article on why some children are bad in math! I do not believe that some kids lack the aptitude for math ! http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/03/27/why-is-math-so-hard-for-so-many/
  • shaila a on 07 Dec 13
     
    It is certainly lovely to see children learning in different ways that make sense to the particular individual. I wish I had the chance to learn new concepts with the aid of visualization. The question is: how many teachers are truly using the resources that are available to them?
Katy Lu

Surprising Differences Between the Male and Female Brain | Yahoo Health - 12 views

health.yahoo.net/...tween-male-and-female-brain200

shared by Katy Lu on 28 Oct 13 - No Cached
  • Even when men and women succeed at the same task, they tend to call on different strengths and areas of the brain to achieve this result,
    • Katy Lu
      Katy Lu on 28 Oct 13
       
      I strongly agree with this viewpoint. 
  • Juan Saldana on 28 Oct 13
     
    I don't think there is any question regarding who is smarter, just take a look as who is in charge after the standard 8-5. Funny aside, I remember hearing that male and female brains are wired differently since early evolution. Males were wired to be hunters while females were wired to be gatherers and of course take care of the children. Now this notion in today's world is asking for trouble, but it is simply how we evolved.
  • ...7 more comments...
  • Jackie Byford on 28 Oct 13
     
    You made an interesting point Juan, but have we evolved? Even with both parents working 40+ hours a week, in most cases isn't it the mom who makes sure dinner is on the table, laundry is done, and house is clean even if its take out, picking up the laundry from he cleaners, and hiring the maid? The women of the family still do most of the shopping and pay the bills. Men on the other hand go hunting or fishing, mow the lawn, and fix things around the house, or hire the people to do it. Of course there is always the exception to the rule and that has been the case throughout the years.
  • Juan Saldana on 29 Oct 13
     
    Given that I am a product of a single working mom, I would disagree (especially if I knew what was good for me). I know that that is likely the norm, but I feel it is a case of nature vs. nurture more than the size of human brains. I comes down to how you are being raised, my daughters will likely twist their husbands arms "literally" if they don't help out..
  • Maria Austin on 29 Oct 13
     
    Jackie and Juan, Interesting exchange! I would only add that, for the most part, it is women who take care of children, boys and girls. And yet, we seem to perpetuate the differences and tend to ask our children to do chores in very gender specific ways. Boys wash the car, girls wash the dishes, kind of thing.
  • Katy Lu on 31 Oct 13
     
    Thanks for your input Juan, Jackie, and Maria! Social norms such as pink for girls, blue for boys, and arguments of the definition of famine and masculine have existed and affect our social relationships. Studies show that gender role norms affect the way people act, feel, and think. I am glad we are able to take this opportunity to learn more about anatomical differences between male and female brains in chapter 11, which also explains why male and female act differently in many things. As described in the chapter that "women are more likely to get depressed than men". After reading this Yahoo article, which "Women live longer, but on average men are happier" can also be well explained. Enjoy your reading boys and girls!
  • Juan Saldana on 31 Oct 13
     
    I can't comment on the woman side, but on the men being happier side is a simple one. Men really don't mature past the age of 15. We watch football and get loud the same as when we were kids. Most of us are easily amused.
  • Katy Lu on 31 Oct 13
     
    I agree with you Juan. We do need outlets to relieve stress. I believe speak out loud, laugh out loud with friends are good ways to relieve stress. (here comes the gender stereotype, men are allowed to drink to talk out loud in the public, what about a group of women??? ) I've read an article that some Japanese company has a mini gym in their office building. There are no treadmills, no weights, but punching gloves and punching bags. After never-ending bow down in a long day, go to gym and imagine the punching bag is the boss. What a creative way of relieving stress at work.
  • Jaime Villanueva on 01 Nov 13
     
    This article seems to have good information about the differences between men and women. I have read similar articles, especially about the different brain hemispheres utilized by men and women. In the article, it states that women are better planners, organizers and learn from their mistakes. I think every man should read this article. Especially, the part were women learn from their mistakes because most men make the same mistake over and over.
  • shaila a on 08 Dec 13
     
    Lol! I do believe that in terms of talking about who is smarter it is a waste of time since mental aptitude really depends on each individual. Just like some female body builders are bigger and possibly also stronger than most men out there, it is also possible that some man may be smarter than most other woman. The difference is in how the brain is wired.
  • asuarez1 on 01 Jul 14
     
    I also agree that many of these differences stem from differences that exist from person to person (outside the scope of gender). However, as the book Brain Rules states, "gender biases hurt real people in real-world situations." Sex and gender are two different things. Gender, relating to social expectations plays an important and has role-deciding factors in our work places, our classrooms, and our lives in general. It shocked me to read Martin Luther's quote (1483-1546) that stated, "Girls begin to talk and stand on their feet sooner than boys because weeds always grow up more quickly than good crops." If this doesn't leave an impression on you (male or female), I don't know what does! The battle of the sexes has always existed. John Medina states that is is a matter of statistics, however I don't think that anyone will argue that men and women's brains are scientifically different, so how can we not expect the physical, physiological, and overall compositions of each to be different in comparison.
jennalsmith

Brain Rules Schools - 1 views

www.huffingtonpost.com/...n-rules-schools_b_1128596.html

shared by jennalsmith on 23 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • jennalsmith on 23 Jun 14
     
    I find it interesting that the author of this brief article outlines such a non-traditional agenda / timeline for a school day and I am also interested in knowing the impact on a school system who might implement such a "bold" change to a traditional school schedule / calendar! I also find it interesting that for the most part, everyone who made a comment on the posting seemed to be in favor of seeing changes which support the Brain Rules! Maybe this means that society is ready for these changes!?!?! (What are your thoughts?)
  • rtrevin5 on 26 Jun 14
     
    I think the time is a bit long, but the shorted compressed timeframes are appropriate. If anything, I think they are about 5 minutes too long. There have been studies conducted showing brain activity in people. When you start studying, your brain activity spikes. As the studying drags on, your brain activity hits a low point. As you get closer to your end time, your brain knows that you are almost done, so it spikes again. Think of it as a reverse bell curve. Well, at the points that are spiking, you are retaining more, even if you do not realize. Yet so many people spend hours studying. Most of that is in the low point of brain activity. So, you are retaining less and less. Compressed moments of teaching tend to be better. But, schools are reluctant to adopt this model.
  • asuarez1 on 01 Jul 14
     
    One of the first things that I noticed when I read this article is that it says that the playlist consists of 10 minute intervals. This is one of the things we learn from Brain Rules and TedTalks and other presentation preparations. Attention is gathered for about 10 minutes before you need to do something to capture your audience again. We don't pay attention to boring things, as Brain Rule #4 says and we definitely don't pay attention to things that run on and on. The playlist also compiles visual math which applies to sensory integration with rule #9 where we learn that the best way to remember things is to activate the most senses possible. The playlist also "recycles through concepts they have already mastered." Here we see rule #6, Remember to Repeat, in action. The article also talks about part of the day being "gender-separated." This made me reflect on rule #11, Male and female brains are different. It is fantastic to see Brain Rules at work. It is an effective testimony to what works!
Adam Hovde

Ted Talk by Alan November - 8 views

www.youtube.com/watch

TED edtech alanNovember technology nlearning brain learning tools

shared by Adam Hovde on 09 Sep 13 - No Cached
  • Alan November is recognized internationally as a leader in education technology. He began his career as an oceanography teacher and dorm counselor at an island reform school for boys in Boston Harbor. He has been a director of an alternative high school, computer coordinator, technology consultant, and university lecturer. As practitioner, designer, and author, Alan has guided schools, government organizations and industry leaders as they plan to improve quality with technology
  • Thisþff is a brilliant speech. We need our students to have purpose, they really need to be exposed to content but they really need to control the purpose. Technology can help us with this really bright idea.
  • As teachers for tomorrow we agree that students must have the opportunity to create a legacy through their work.þff Students are not learning for us they are learning and creating information for the world. Empowered to develop and create relevant work can only happen when teachers open their minds to what education is. Authentic learning gives student ownership and the ability to create knowledge and instill a lasting desire to learn.
  • ...2 more annotations...
  • Finally we have an educator that discusses ways to solve a problem rather than definingþff a problem. Thank you for your practical ideas and strategies to improve education.
    • Adam Hovde
      Adam Hovde on 09 Sep 13
       
      Do we educate our students this way? Do you educate your students this way? How can this help our students become better PROBLEM SOLVERS?
    • Maria Austin
      Maria Austin on 10 Sep 13
       
      Very interesting video! I would look at it in a different way though. I would focus on the sense of purpose that is inside every human being. No matter what we do, we need to care about it, we need to see the reason behind it. More often than not, students are just seen as recipients of data and they are very seldom invited to find the purpose behind everything they learn. Moreover, in order for us to learn we need to have an emotional connection to what we learn. Unfortunately many an educator fail to connect with their students let alone inspire a thirst for knowledge.
    • Adam Hovde
      Adam Hovde on 11 Sep 13
       
      I agree Maria.I was thinking about how this video works with rule 4 "We don't pay attention to boring things." Having the students vested in the learning activity takes out all the boring stuff. Giving the students a reason to care about the learning helps both the student and the teacher. :)
    • Jackie Byford
      Jackie Byford on 12 Sep 13
       
      This is an inspiring video. I can almost pick out the students in my classes that would jump into the various jobs of creating a tutorial. I am trying to make the switch where my students are creating their own learning. My team has decided to do an interactive notebook with our 7th Math students, but after 3 weeks in and seeing this video I think we are missing the mark. We still show our powerpoints, the students write their notes in their notebook in an organized way with a table of contents... but they are still just taking the notes for the most part. We give them the tools(manipulatives and models) to work the problems on their own but really give them little time to really work out the problems themselves. I think what makes it hard is the demand on testing and the curriculum requirements. We teach a new concept almost everyday in a 49 minute class, and we barely squeeze in all the TEKS. My district talks more and more about critical thinking and problem solving...make the tests more rigorous, but if we can't make them care and have that purpose for the learning we are just selling them short! This video really has me thinking! By giving the students the power to create their own learning we are giving them the gift of purpose and helping them learn how to solve problems on their own instead of spoon feeding them the curriculum.
    • Jaime Villanueva
      Jaime Villanueva on 15 Sep 13
       
      Adam, I love the story about the student creating a database for the handicap. As I understand it, a professor contacts the student and wants to pay her for her work but she refuses the money. Most of us would probably have taken the money but I think we would be missing the point that the work or purpose is more valuable than any monetary again. The student's goal was never about the money it was solving a problem that she had identified and had solved. I agree rule 4 applies big time in this situation. Can you image having the teacher give the students busy work and without purpose. Who would have created the database for the handicap? I agree that shifting the learning from teacher to student to peer to peer have better learning outcomes than we would like to believe. The issue I foresee is tenured teachers changing their teaching style to reflect the new teaching strategy. How to do introduce it to teachers as a school district? What percent of the teachers would truly adopt the new teaching strategy?
    • Jaime Villanueva
      Jaime Villanueva on 15 Sep 13
       
      I agree Jackie, students should have a purpose when learning but you must first convince administration to adopt the idea. It is probably harder than we think it is because too many school districts believe their curriculum is the best and does not need fixing. This is why it should come from the community and students. If people demand change it is hard for school districts to ignore it I am not saying they will but I believe there will be resistance at some point.
  • Adam Hovde on 09 Sep 13
     
    A Ted Talk by Alan November in March of 2011. Alan November has traveled the world and discussed education and how technology can be incorporated into classrooms.  Alan did an in-service at my district this year and I got a lot of good stuff from his talk.
  • ...3 more comments...
  • Katy Lu on 16 Sep 13
     
    Thanks for prompting the importance of problem solving and suggestions for helping students to create a meaningful learning experience. I absolutely agree with Alan November that involving the community is one of the best ways to help students learn to value different ways of thinking, furthermore to appreciate the differences in each other. Creative-thinking and critical-thinking skills are essential components of problem solving. Students are natural problem solvers, through interaction with one another and participating in decision making offer countless opportunities for students to grow in their problem-solving abilities. Thanks for sharing this valuable information.
  • Martha Rodriguez on 16 Sep 13
     
    Excellent video! It's true on how everything has a purpose; listening to that really stunned me. Nothing was created in vain; everything has a purpose. You only have to find out how to use it correctly.
  • Jeff Blackman on 20 Sep 13
     
    Adam asks "Do we educate our students this way? Do you educate your students this way? How can this help our students become better PROBLEM SOLVERS?" I am not a teacher but speaking for my children, I can say that they are being educated in many of the ways November describes. Particularly in OWNING their learning. I love to hear my son talk about what he learned not only from his teacher but, more often than not, what he learned from his peers. He is in a Montessori classroom and it really is a joy to watch the children choose what they are going to work on together and then see how they help each other. They stay in the same room for three years so in the first year, the younger children learn a lot from the older kids. But then, they build their confidence and are soon teaching each other plus, as they get older, they pass their knowledge to the ones below them.
  • Maria Austin on 21 Sep 13
     
    Jeff, I have always admired the work of Maria Montessori and her legacy to education. Unfortunately, Montessori and Lev Vygotsky (scaffolding and learning through social interaction in a given cultural context) are not emphasized enough in our school systems, in my humble opinion. The prevalence of the concepts of competition and individualism have overridden cooperation and consensus. There should be a middle ground that could be reached in order to provide a more balanced approach to education.
  • shaila a on 07 Dec 13
     
    Motivation certainly drives the most ordinary people to do extraordinary things. This video was not only just inspiring but also raises a question of how many of us are actually able to/ willing to change the way we teach based on what would help our students achieve a life-long learning.
Jaime Villanueva

MOOCs free forever? - 13 views

The great thing about MOOC's is it fosters peer to peer collaboration. Last semester I took a Mooc course and I did not have any interaction with the instructor it was all student base collaborat...

started by Richard Wilson on 08 Oct 13 7 follow-ups, last by Jaime Villanueva on 14 Oct 13
Jaime Villanueva

Know Thyself With A Brain Scanner - 9 views

I realize most people would be skeptical Jackie about the technology. One can only image the positive implications this technology can have in our daily lives. One example that comes to mind is a c...

http:__www.ted.com_talks_ariel_garten_know_thyself_with_a_brain_scanner.html

started by Jaime Villanueva on 20 Oct 13 6 follow-ups, last by Jaime Villanueva on 01 Nov 13
Lauren Simpson

The Simple Things I Do To Promote Brain-Based Learning In My Classroom - 8 views

www.teachthought.com/...based-learning-in-my-classroom

shared by Lauren Simpson on 19 Nov 13 - No Cached
  • The Simple Things I Do To Promote Brain-Based Learning In My Classroom
    • Lauren Simpson
      Lauren Simpson on 17 Jun 14
       
      It's important for teachers to help students understand how their brains work and give them strategies to be successful in the classroom. Our job as educators is not only to teach them the subject matter, but to prepare them for life. If they have these strategies I think we are giving students a leg up in being successful no matter what they face.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
      Pedro Rodriguez on 23 Jun 14
       
      I like that she takes initiative to promote brain based learning. Teaching and preparing students for life is very important, because the world is quickly changing in terms of technological advances. Students can easily learn the content using such principles. More teachers need to incorporates these rules in their instruction.
  • Explaining how the brain works is especially important for students who believe that they are “not smart” and that nothing they do can change that. Many children, and even some parents and teachers, think that intelligence is determined at birth and that even intense effort will not budge their academic abilities. The realization that they can literally change their brains by improving how they approach learning and how they study is liberating.
    • Lauren Simpson
      Lauren Simpson on 17 Jun 14
       
      This is so true. I often tell my students who say they are not smart, I correct them and say "yet..you are not smart yet" I am one of those teachers that truly feel every students is smart and a budding genius.
  • Students know that the more they practice a basketball shot or rehearse a ballet performance, the more their skills improve. In my class, they learn that brains respond the same way. When a learner goes over multiplication facts or rereads confusing parts of a book, the brain gets better at processing this information because, with such repetition, more neurons grow and connect to other neurons, and neurons get more efficient at sending one another signals.
    • Lauren Simpson
      Lauren Simpson on 17 Jun 14
       
      Being able to relate practicing what is learned in school with something a student already likes is vital. It provides a clear picture of what you are trying to teach them about repetition and how your brain needs it to be successful.
  • Katy Lu on 19 Nov 13
  • asuarez1 on 21 Jun 14
     
    One of the things I love about Brain-Based Learning is that it creates a paradigm shift about learners and learning. I suppose that my background in Special Education makes me appreciate it even more. All students CAN learn. The trick is to find out how they learn best. Techniques are explored and used to maximize learning. "The realization that they can literally change their brains by improving how they approach learning and how they study is liberating." This has been the focus of most of my training as a teacher and Brain-Based Learning shows you how. I appreciate that one of the things that this article stipulates is that the learner should be aware of how the brain works. It empowers a student to take charge of their own learning at the core of process.
  • jennalsmith on 30 Jun 14
     
    As I read this article, I couldn't help but think of my adult basic education students. I think the explanation of how the brain works to students who believe they are "not smart" is key for my students. These particular adult learners are participating in a GED/Adult High School program. The majority of the students were kicked out of school or dropped out of school. They understand that they in a foundational skills program and must develop their basic educational skills to advance in other areas of life. Unfortunately, I think that many of them have the mindset that they believe that are "not book smart." I think it is wonderful that this teacher/neurologist found that her students became more engaged and confident and they also began to change their student practices. This is my goal/hope as I work on a Problem Based Learning Module which applies the Brain Rules to an everyday mathematical scenario. I plan on presenting this PBL Module to a few adult basic math classes as a pilot to see how the adult basic education students respond to the lesson(s) and Brain Rules compared to their traditional classroom lectures and instruction.
Juan Saldana

A Survival Guide To Teaching With Technology - Edudemic - Edudemic - 0 views

www.edudemic.com/teaching-with-technology-guide

technology teaching edtech

shared by Juan Saldana on 03 Nov 13 - No Cached
  • A Survival Guide To Teaching With Technology
    • Juan Saldana
      Juan Saldana on 03 Nov 13
       
      "Welcome to this week on Survival. In EdTech I have noticed that we focus a lot on "Ed" part and not so much on the impact that the "Tech" has not only on the student, but on the teachers and technology support teams. I have selected a few articles for this week that will focus on this week Brain Rule of Survival and how it relates to the integration of technology in the classroom.
  • Juan Saldana on 03 Nov 13
     
    This article/slide show give you some of the "Hard Truths" about implementing technology in the classroom. In class we often think how great it can be to implement iPads and Web 2.0, but we often don't discuss what will happen when it all falls apart like technology often does...
Martha Rodriguez

Repetition without Metamorphosis, Rule #4 - 8 views

I enjoyed this very much. Understanding the difference between fluff content and valuable content isn't rocket science. Just ask yourself: What am I actually offering my readers? Creating great c...

started by Richard Wilson on 27 Oct 13 2 follow-ups, last by Martha Rodriguez on 28 Oct 13
Juan Saldana

Can the Current Model of Higher Education Survive MOOCs and Online Learning? (EDUCAUSE ... - 2 views

www.educause.edu/...vive-moocs-and-online-learning

higher education online learning MOOC disruptive technology

shared by Juan Saldana on 05 Nov 13 - No Cached
  • Not all U.S. colleges and universities will disappear as a result of new technologies, but clearly some will.
  • Technology-enhanced learning has the potential to transform education and to raise the level of education globally.
  • The first threat to American higher education is that MOOCs and online courses will raise the level of competition too high for some institutions to survive.
  • Juan Saldana on 05 Nov 13
     
    We begin day two on the topic of Survival. Ten years ago online education was almost non-existent, today it encompasses a good portion of the course offerings at UTB, will the current model of instruction still exist in another 10 years? What does this mean for us as instructional designers?
  • ...4 more comments...
  • Jennifer Henson on 05 Nov 13
     
    I love this article! thanks so much, Juan. It is helpful on multiple levels. It's no easy thing for a large university to scope out a plan for integrating online education. It's a brand new world and it feels very high risk. As we learn about best practices and our budgets get trimmed, the temptation is to do enough to check the box, but that model causes more trouble in the long run. Lucas's article is a thoughtful, articulate review of lessons learned that can be applied straight away. Thank you!
  • Juan Saldana on 06 Nov 13
     
    Schools as a business are running out of funding, yet tuition keeps getting more expensive (funny right?). I don't know if the current platform for education will be replaced with MOOCs, but it will definitely be replaced, it's natural evolution. Jennifer you are working with Virtual High Schools, soon we will see this in the lower grades. The strange kids we knew who and were jealous of because they were "Home Schooled" will be the norm! However we are not only talking about the "survival" of the institutions, we are talking about the titles that come with these degrees. 50 years High School was a family achievement, today High School doesn't qualify you to stand on the side of the highway with a sign... How long before these titles like M.Ed are no longer worth the paper they are printed on?
  • Jennifer Henson on 06 Nov 13
     
    I believe the University of Miami Online High School has already offered a MOOC about college/ACT prep. I'm bummed because I was hoping to be the first high school to offer a MOOC. I really just love the idea of using technology to give kids opportunities that they would not have otherwise had. But there are practical considerations that trump my idealistic ideas about it. It's always about the money. I think one of the biggest problems we face in our society today is the concentration of wealth at the top. Higher and higher salaries at the top necessitate lower salaries (greater tuition, etc.) elsewhere. We also have huge infrastructure/insurance costs. It's a complex, complicated problem that makes me weary!
  • Juan Saldana on 06 Nov 13
     
    The beauty of a MOOC is that you can literally run it from your parents basement! Look at how Khans Academy started and what it has grown into. Any one of us could essentially develop an online course, videos and all and run it from our home. Although I was just introduced to MOOCs in last semesters 6329, I see them becoming more and more integrated into future curriculum. It would not surprise me if at one point the 6332/6358 course required the development of a fully functional MOOC. Remember I said it first!
  • Katy Lu on 09 Nov 13
     
    People might worried that "massive open online course" may replace the traditional education someday. My answer is NO. They are actually different in nature. MOOC can be taken as an enrichment tool to enhance your urge in knowledge, but can't be officially certified by the Educational Department. MOOC is a good source to learn different topics and meet instructors from vary institutions. That makes learning exciting and help to lighten up life.
  • Martha Rodriguez on 11 Nov 13
     
    Some see MOOCs up-ending the whole model of higher education, allowing students to complete full courses of study in a non-traditional format, particularly with international students, which have made up a large part of the student body in early MOOC courses. Others see MOOCs playing a much smaller role, with the MOOC system of "badges" or certificates for course completion integrated into programs higher education institutions already offer.
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