Group items tagged

"Maker Faire has been a hot topic at ISTE 2014, with education leaders from across the world discussing how the maker movement has embraced education and how we can gain so much from it as educators. The democratization of learning via the Maker Ed movement has made it an extremely exciting time to be an educator. Maker Spaces in education nurture innovation, experimentation and independence. Learners are no longer consumers, but active participants and producers of content in their own right."

"App Ed Review (www.appedreview.com) is a web-based tool dedicated to supporting teachers in how they find and use educational apps with their students. Their product is unique in the field of educational app resources."

"Erika Christakis' new book, The Importance of Being Little, is an impassioned plea for educators and parents to put down the worksheets and flash cards, ditch the tired craft projects (yes, you, Thanksgiving Handprint Turkey) and exotic vocabulary lessons, and double-down on one, simple word: NPR ED Why Kindergarten Is The New First Grade Play. That's because, she writes, "the distinction between early education and official school seems to be disappearing." If kindergarten is the new first grade, Christakis argues, preschool is quickly becoming the new kindergarten. And that is "a real threat to our society's future.""

"I was first inspired to explore stop-motion when I met influential art ed dude Mark Jones. He's the genius behind some of the best stop-motion animation videos designed, written, and created by kids. I was lucky enough to see him at my state art ed conference a few years back. If you haven't seen these videos - watch them before you go any further! The Robot and the Butterfly Stand Up Tall Stand Up Tall: Behind the Scenes (to help visualize the process) See more on Mr. Jones' YouTube channel. After seeing the potential, I asked myself: How do I do this with MY kids?"

"A google search of "Maker Movement and Education" reveals more than 36 million search results! That's just one piece of evidence that the Maker Ed Movement is on the rise across formal and informal learning environments. Head to any education conference, talk to any STEAM teacher, ask anyone who tracks innovations in teaching and learning, or check out the new infographic featured below and you'll be sure to find a lot more."

"I've only just found Arvid's YouTube channel, so I'm still playing through the 40 or so iPad GarageBand tutorials on offer, including Photograph by Ed Sheeran, as shown above. I really like Arvid's method of teaching, it's quick, but not too quick. There are few better ways of learning how to use GarageBand than to create a complete cover track. It may not satisfy that creative urge, but it will help you become proficient enough with GarageBand to help you on your way. Plus you'll learn something about the structure of the song you're covering, no bad thing."

"Rather than the maker experiences being an after school program, an add on activity, or an activity that is implemented when students have done their regular lessons work, it should be part of the regular, day-to-day curriculum. As noted in USC Rossier Online, "In order for your school and students to be fully invested in maker education, it has to be integrated into your curriculum, not squeezed in" (https://rossieronline.usc.edu/maker-education/sync-with-curriculum/).  Ayah Bdeir, who invented and runs littleBits, had this to say about integrating maker education into the curriculum: It's time for maker ed to move into the mainstream. Making should not be relegated to the times spent outside of class, e.g. lunch or after school. Nor should it only flourish in private schools, which don't have to teach to standards. We need to work to show how making is a rigorous process that leads to valuable new technologies, products and experiences. Specifically, we need to tie maker projects to standards-based curriculum and show clearly the kinds of knowledge, skills and practices students learn as part of making (https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-09-24-building-connections-between-maker-ed-and-standards) Albemarle County Public School District is very intentional in their implementation of maker projects: Maker projects can be created to support just about any subject area, from science to history to language arts. Maker education can be a tool for teaching the curriculum that you already have, At a glance, maker projects may appear disconnected from the curriculum. What may look like an arts and crafts activity, or just a bunch of kids playing with Legos, is actually a way to teach about ancient Rome or how to write a persuasive essay. (https://www.edutopia.org/practice/maker-education-reaching-all-learners) "

"Stories are powerful. Stories shape our ideas about what's possible. What stories will your students choose to tell about the world? To expand your classroom toolkit of storytelling resources, try these 5 TED-Ed Innovation Project ideas with your students:"

"Which TED Talks do students love? We asked TED-Ed Club Members around the world to share their favorites. Below, check out 9 great talks recommended by and for young people:"

"Given the importance of confidence in building powerful personalities and successful learners, here is a wonderful video from TED Ed to share with your students in class. This is an animated lesson explaining what confidence is all about and suggesting 3 main tips to boost ones confidence. You can access the full lesson with comprehension and discussion questions from this page. Enjoy"