Group items tagged

"Pad is a versatile tool that can be used like a Swiss Knife, you mention it and there is an app for it. One of the cognitive areas we can improve through the use of iPad is creativity. There are several excellent apps out there that are specifically designed to unleash learners creativity, drawing and painting tools are some of them. Having access to apps is one thing but using them effectively is another thing and that's where a practical guide such as the one below comes in handy"

"Crunchzilla is a service that students can use to learn to write Javascript programs. There are two versions of Crunchzilla; Code Maven and Code Monster. Code Monster is designed for students of middle school age. "

"If you're interested in building your own website, or developing a web app or service for others to use, you'll need to get familiar with how the web works and the tools you'll need to develop for it. Mozilla's Webmaker project can help you learn, with fun, interactive activities and lesson plans designed for people of all skill levels. "

"Using Google Apps on the iPad can get sticky! Historically, Google and the iPad have not played well together. But we have come a long way in the last couple years! There are now tons of apps for iOS devices that integrate well with Google, and Google has release several official apps for the iPad. There is hope, Obi Wan, Google and Apple can play nice! The infographic embedded below details the most useful Google apps for the iPad. These are the apps that I find most useful not only for teachers, but any Google user. Take a look, download, and explore the wonderful possibilities of using Google Apps on the iPad! (Note: There are a few apps that were designed for the iPhone, but worth mentioning for the iPad as well.)"

"Gas-powered Roman chariots, singing greeting cards, play dough circuit boards, and homemade voltage detectors are just a few of the science projects you might see when you apply a maker approach to STEM education. The maker movement celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship through the design and construction of physical objects. Maker activities may come across as playful, even slightly wacky, explosions of inventiveness. But in education contexts like schools, museums, libraries, and after-school programs, research shows that if the invitation to creativity is accompanied by intentional structure and guidance, maker activities can be channeled to support deep student learning (Blikstein, 2013; Vossoughi, Escudé, Kong, & Hooper, 2013)."

"Caring about and maintaining our mental health is as important as our physical health. We only have one brain and one body, so it's our job to keep it running in the best way we can by paying attention to and working to improve our mental and physical health. We seem to know more about our bodies than we do our minds. This website is designed to share information about mental health and provide you with resources that can help you understand your mental health and assist those you care about. Use the tools, resources, events and engagement tools to improve mental health literacy in your community and help change the conversation."

"Are we willing to design learning models that understand how technology functions in the lives of modern students?"

"There has been a huge buzz recently on Twitter about the new YouTube Kids app. There are thousands of great videos to search for on this new platform. The app opens up in a very clean and inviting menu that breaks down content into four categories: Shows, Music, Learning, and Explore. Each of these sections has designated channels packed with amazing video content. The YouTube for Kids App is FREE and is certainly one that I will be recommending at future conferences I present at. Where we couldn't fit all of the great content into this post, we certainly welcome you to use the comments section below to share your favorite YouTube for Kids channels."

"Do you like to have a free-flowing exchange of ideas in the classroom? Do you encourage and nurture dissenting opinions? Do your students feel empowered to voice their thoughts and critiques of research or ideas? If you answered 'YES' to all of the above questions, you're leading a fantastic classroom filled with a lot of engaging discussion. Bravo! But if you aren't satisfied with the level of discourse taking place in (and out of) the classroom, then this flowchart from Wonkblog is for you. It's designed to help anyone (not just students or teachers) engage in a discussion about a topic they don't agree with. For example, let's say a student cites some research in a project-based learning assignment that another student doesn't think is quite relevant. How would that student voice his or her opinion? Is interrupting okay? Is one opinion better than another?"

"In spite of the before-mentioned dynamics, Kindergarten classrooms are really magical places where kids are able to collaboratively and independently create and design. Kids move like a well-oiled machine from one center to the next with very little if any teacher direction. These students, most of whom have never been a part of such madness, are able to find structure and are able to be trusted to do the right thing. Students are able to 'playfully work together and learn about the creative process: how to imagine new ideas, try them out, test the boundaries, experiment with alternatives, get feedback from others, and generate new ideas based on their experiences.' Kindergarten classrooms are a hotbed for makers and the maker movement. Kindergarten classrooms are spilling over with exploration and discovery. Kindergarten classrooms beam with pride as kids put their best efforts forward to please their teachers and expand their knowledge of the world. Kindergarten classrooms are indeed a magical place. "

"Using Google Apps on the iPad can get sticky! Historically, Google and the iPad have not played well together. But we have come a long way in the last couple years! There are now tons of apps for iOS devices that integrate well with Google, and Google has release several official apps for the iPad. There is hope, Obi Wan, Google and Apple can play nice! The infographic embedded below details the most useful Google apps for the iPad. These are the apps that I find most useful not only for teachers, but any Google user. Take a look, download, and explore the wonderful possibilities of using Google Apps on the iPad! (Note: There are a few apps that were designed for the iPhone, but worth mentioning for the iPad as well.)"

Threaded discussion is an old technology. It's inspiring to think of new ways we can talk together at a distance that allow integration of both synchronous and asynchronous technology. I often thing we'll look back on the course management systems we use today and think of them as something like a 300 baud modem. Eyes Front! What's over the horizon line?

21st Century Fluency Project An innovative resource designed to cultivate 21st century fluencies, while fostering engagement and adventure in the learning experience.

"Venn Diagram is an excellent free interactive tool  from the popular Read Write Think that students can use to create Venn diagrams that contain two or three overlapping circles. This tool is also available for both iOS and Android. The iPad app is particularly designed for use in the school setting providing students with a simple profile system where multiple users can create their own Venn diagrams on the same device. "

"There is no denying that coding is snowballing in importance across schools all around the world. Whether it's Scratch, Programming Games or the Hour of Code, an understanding of software and the ability to code is fast becoming an essential skill for all 21st century learners. At a recent TEDx event in Jackson Mississippi, Professor Marina Bers discussed her research into the design and study of innovative learning technologies to promote children's positive development. How does this research manifest and present itself in the real world? Well programming robots of course!"

"The new update to Book Writer includes a presentation feature that gives students a chance to show off what they've made.  Their new app Book Writer One is free to download and designed for education institutions.  The kid-friendly interface lets young students tell their own stories, document a field trip, or explain what they've learned.  Teachers can also use this app to make picture books to share with their students."

"It's an exciting time to be a maker educator. It seems like everywhere I look, there's inspirational work happening in community fab labs, a school launching a new innovation program, or a library incorporating STEAM into its space. At St. Gabriel's in Austin, Texas, we entered the fray last fall with STEAM by Design, an approach to constructivist learning that uses classroom space in conjunction with a dedicated fab lab."

"Gmail is a powerful mail service that we have been recommending for teachers over the last couple of years. The strength of Gmail lies in the arsenal of features it provides to users from tips on how to organize and sort emails for easy access to setting auto-replies and automatically saving attachments. Gmail Tips for Teachers section here in EdTech and mLearning features a number of key resources to help you tap into the educational potential of Gmail. Additionally, to take your Gmail experience to the next level you may want to try out some third party tools designed particularly for this purpose. Below is a curated list of some of our favourite apps. Check them out and share with your colleagues"

I am doing full day workshops on The Maker Educator both at ISTE 2016 and EduTECH in Australia. What follows is both the description-goals and an overview of the workshop's learning activities. Workshop Description, Goals, and Outline Description Being a maker educator requires developing a new mindset; a new set of skills and roles. Discover, through this workshop, first, a process for reflecting on making through creating circuits and hacked toys, and second, through a self-assessment, the mindset characteristics of an educator who is embracing making education. This workshop is designed for educators who are and want to integrate maker education into their instructional settings."

"Makers-in the broadest sense, those who make things-and the maker movement have gone mainstream. Featured in articles from the Smithsonian to The Atlantic to The New York Times, today's makers are just as likely to be armed with traditional tools like hammers, anvils, and yarn, as they are with conductive paint, 3-D printers, and computers. They are participating in a movement marked by community norms of sharing, collaboration, and experimentation. They are gathering in libraries, garages, summer camps, and makerspaces. Cities and towns across the United States are paying attention, responding to the buzz with maker-related growth and development: Downtowns are outfitting digital workshop spaces, also knowns as "fablabs"; municipal libraries and church spaces are designating space for making; and now schools are getting on board. It is no wonder that school ears are perked. As businesses, libraries, and organizations lobby for ways to bring making into their domains, schools across the country are building innovation labs. Makerspaces are being carved out, 3-D printers are being brought into classrooms, and hacker/tinkering/maker/tech-ed teachers are being hired-and sometimes trained. There is clear enthusiasm around the tools and the sociocultural impact of maker-related values. Attend a school board meeting where a makerspace is on the agenda and the familiar selling point rings out: Maker education boosts STEM-science, technology, engineering, and math-learning, which will ultimately generate a cohort of innovative, inventive, entrepreneurial-minded young people. But we may be getting ahead of ourselves. The limited research around the cognitive benefits of maker-centered education is only recently emerging. Maker classes, maker curriculum, and maker teachers are being incorporated into educational settings in what appears to be a response to popular media and based, in part, on the hype."