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"User Generated Education Education as it should be - passion-based. Design Thinking Process and UDL Planning Tool for STEM, STEAM, Maker Education leave a comment » Post by Jackie Gerstein, Ed.D. @jackiegerstein and Barbara Bray @bbray27. Crossed posted at http://barbarabray.net/2017/06/08/design-thinking-process-and-udl-planning-tool/. If there is a makerspace in your school, it may be down the hall, in the library, or in another building. If there is someone other than the teacher managing the makerspace or there is a schedule for the school, your kids may only be able to use it once a week or month. Some makerspace activities may be focusing on how to use the resources available and may not be connecting the activities to the curriculum or around a real world problem. If this is how the makerspace is set up in your school, then your kids may not have access to the resources, materials, and tools when they need them, especially for STEM or STEAM. In deciding what resources you need based on the learners you have, you may first need to determine how your learners learn best, what projects you plan to do, how you can set up a makerspace in your classroom, and much more. This is why we decided to create a planning tool for makerspaces in the classroom for you using the Design Thinking Process and Universal Design for Learning®."

"Giving feedback is a huge part of teaching. Whether you're teaching 8 year olds or university students, math or english, you give feedback on your students' work almost constantly. The questions may be multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer, or long essay format. You may be assessing students on their writing ability, cultural literacy, math, chemistry, foreign language, or some combination of the above. The feedback may be a part of a grade, or it may come at an earlier point in the process. Regardless of what you're offering feedback on, the goals of feedback are for the student to learn more, more efficiently, more effectively, and to better understand the material at hand."

Buy Negative Google Reviews In today's digital world, online review play a crucial role in shaping consumer decisions. Positive reviews can help businesses attract new customers and build a solid reputation, while negative reviews can have the opposite effect, potentially driving potential clients away. In an attempt to combat this, some businesses have resorted to unethical practices, such as buying negative Google reviews for their competitors. This devious strategy aims to tarnish a competitor's reputation and gain an unfair advantage in the market. In this article, we will delve into the controversial practice of buying negative Google reviews, exploring its implications for businesses and consumers alike, and discussing the ethical concerns surrounding this nefarious tactic. What are negative Google reviews? In today's digital age, online review have become an integral part of our decision-making process. Whether we're searching for a local restaurant, a reputable plumbing service, or a new product to buy, we often turn to platforms like Google to read what others have said about their experiences. Positive reviews reassure us, while negative ones raise concerns and prompt us to reconsider our options. Negative Google reviews are user-generated testimonials that reflect a poor experience or dissatisfaction with a particular business or service. These reviews typically express frustration, disappointment, or anger towards the company, its products, or its customer service. While some negative reviews are constructive and provide genuine feedback, others may be exaggerated or even fabricated. To understand negative Google reviews, it is important to recognize that they serve multiple purposes. First and foremost, they offer a means for customers to voice their opinions and share their experiences with others. For many people, leaving a negative review can be a form of catharsis or a way to warn others of potential pitfalls. It also holds businesses ac

"Learning to read can be difficult. And teaching a group of students to read and write can be a daunting task - especially taking into consideration that each student may learn differently, and at a very different pace. Some students may have trouble matching sounds with letters and words, some with writing mechanics, others may have trouble concentrating in a traditional classroom setting. Having a few extra tools in the arsenal to have students using either in class or out of class can help to bring everyone up to speed or help any student to get a bit ahead."

"We all have stress in our lives. In fact, tech can often be a source of the stress. But tech can also help you to relax, offering a more calm environment and helping you to take your mind off of your troubles. When using apps or surfing the Web, you may become upset by a Facebook post, tweet, or news report. Or maybe you read an email from your boss unfairly criticizing your hard work. You may be tempted to step away from your tech, but perhaps tech can be the solution to your tension. These tech tools may help you relax and unwind from your stressors."

"Have you ever had someone pass you their headphones to hear a song, and had your ears blasted by an outrageously loud volume level? Well, by default, anyone can crank the volume up on music played from an iOS device to 100%. That may sound like no big deal, but there are situations where listening to music that loud could potentially be problematic, leading to inattentiveness to the outside world or even theoretical hearing issues. This is particularly important for kids, who may not realize that the volume level is harmful. Thus, if you or your kids listen to a lot of music with headphones on from an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, you may want to consider setting a maximum volume limit for the Music app."

"Perhaps it's my bias as a classroom teacher that has me pushing back a bit, for I firmly believe that while extra-curricular activities can be one way of educating our children in more complete ways, they had better not be the main way in which we do so. This is important for two reasons. The first is that many children are unable to participate in outside activities. They may have to work or support their families. They may not have the resources or parental support needed to stay after school. If extra-curriculars are our main vehicle, the students who would most benefit from a whole child approach will be least likely to get it. Second, I worry about a subtle message that may be sent when the most engaging, supportive, and interesting work happens outside of the regular curriculum. Some students might come to believe that academic work is something to slog through-to endure. The fun learning happens in the band room, on the baseball field, on the ropes course, or in the afterschool art class."

"As part of our Back-to-School series, we are sharing chapters and excerpts from the Makerspace Playbook: School Edition. Today, an excerpt from Chapter 9, Startup: tips for funding your Makerspace. One idea not shared in the playbook that has come up time and again is having a Make Sale, where you sell some of the items made in the Makerspace. Hillel Posner's students make cutting boards and necklaces in their woodworking class. Casey Shea at Analy High School recoups some of the high cost of buying and maintaining the school's laser cutter with an annual yearbook-engraving fundraiser. What have you done in your school to raise money to Make? On to our excerpt: Your Makerspace may not need much of a budget to operate, if you have a space you can use for free, tools to borrow, and materials found or donated. For some Makerspaces, the ones with lots of parental involvement, many of the projects are self-funded. But if your Makerspace takes place at a school without as much family support, or if you simply do not have this all in place, you may need to research community or family foundation grants to fill in the gap. It's possible there could be city or other government agency grants available to get your Makerspace what it needs. Sometimes you can find the funding with a "planning grant." If you are partnering with a non-profit, get advice from the fundraising staff who may be able to suggest the right foundations to approach. Ask around. Online tools like Kickstarter and Indiegogo might help you conduct pointed fundraising campaigns towards a specific goal. There are many sites like this - search on "crowdfunding" for more suggestions. While it's not a Makerspace, we know that the Rhode Island Mini Maker Faire used this tactic to launch a Maker Faire. Maybe it could work for a Makerspace too."

"Hearing a child say they spent their school day playing with Lego may not go down well with parents. But these little bricks could become a fixture in maths lessons thanks to a new programme devised by the toy company. Primary schools have long used Lego informally to teach. However, this month Lego Education is launching a new programme, MoreToMaths, a global scheme especially designed to help teachers tackle key stage 1 maths on the national curriculum using the toys. The MoreToMaths kit, including lesson plans and teaching guides, costs £750 for a class of 30. While some may be sceptical about Lego's move into education - and the price that may deter state schools - many teachers have already found cost-effective ways to use Lego in lessons. We gathered these fun ideas from our teaching community."

"Something special is happening in my school district. It's quite magical actually... We are purchasing more and more Legos for our students as tools of learning. Now, don't get me wrong, I know how this sounds... Kids playing with Legos while at school may appear on the surface as counterproductive when it comes to improving standardized test scores. That may be true (there's not a lot of research out there), but I'm feeling optimistic and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that playing with Legos may just have a positive effect on student learning, student growth and development, AND standardized test scores..."

"Gamification is the process by which teachers use video game design principals in learning environments. The effects are increased student engagement, class wide enjoyment of academic lessons, and high levels of buy-in, even from your most reluctant learners. When gamifying a classroom there are several things you'll need to consider. The first is content, as in what are you trying to teach? Like any lesson or unit plan, you'll need to figure out how to organize and assess new material. You'll also need to consider your students. What kind of learners are they? What information do they already know? You'll need to have a basic understanding of your students' technology skills and how much support each student may need. You'll want to consider putting together a training manual or some other support system for students who may need extra help. You'll also need to consider your own comfort level with technology and the actual technology available to you. These considerations may lead you to designing your own game, or relying one a template or already built quest."

"On supply, normal rules don't apply. You may be left a set of plans, fully resourced, for the day. Or you may turn up with five minutes (10 minutes after you received the call to go) before the children arrive, to an empty desk, a missing laptop, and no password for the photocopier. You don't know that the children have some work to finish off in any spare five minutes. You need to make sure that the children are fully occupied and engaging with their task to help minimise fuss and poor behaviour. You may be warned assembly is a 9:30 sharp, only to arrive and discover that it has been cancelled for today. In short, you need help! From five minute time fillers, to whole session activities ideas on the hop, apps are an essential tool for supply teachers."

This applet creates a 'magnetic poetry' board upon which the user may shift around the words the webpage designer has listed (mouse click and drag a word to move it). Furthermore, the user may modify an existing 'magnet' by SHIFT-clicking on it. Alternately, new magnets may be created by SHIFT-clicking in vacant area of the applet (then type what new letters you want on the magnet piece).

" The Most Important Video Ever Mark Barnes | May 20, 2014 | Featured, Inspiration | 4 Comments If there was ever a video that needs to go viral, it's this one. While it may be intended to promote Google to the viewers' subconscious, the video does far more than this. It also promotes the kind of change we've needed for nearly a century. In fact, this may be the most important video ever made."

"This web site is designed to foster visual creativity by making stories out of photos. It is based completely on the Five Card Nancy game devised by comics guru Scott McCloud and the nifty web version at 741.5 Comics. However, rather than using randomly chosen panels of the old Nancy comic, my version draws upon collections of photos specified by a tag in flickr. You are dealt five random photos for each draw, and your task is to select one each time to add to your building set of images, that taken together as a final set of 5 - tell a story in pictures. When you are done, you can add a title and explanation, and save the story. You can easily put a link in your resume or send to your Mom (she may print it out and tape it to the fridge, or she may criticize your creativity, your mileage and mom may vary). Plus we offer the ability to tweet your story or use an embed code to add it to your own web site."

"You may have read the recent New York Times story No Child Left Untableted. Like others before it (Seeing no progress, some schools drop laptops), these stories have the wrong focus. They narrow in on the tool itself, and draw apocalyptic conclusions -- Technology May Be Destroying Children! -- rather than drawing attention to the goal of the learning experience, and how the tool may best help achieve it."

For educators, parents and learners Carol Dweck's research on the benefits of a Growth Mindset is naturally appealing. Those who have a growth mindset achieve better results than those who don't, are more resilient and accept challenge willingly. After two years of incorporating a growth mindset philosophy we are finding that the reality of shifting a student's disposition away from a fixed mindset and then maintaining a growth mindset is significantly more complex than at first imagined.

"For educators, parents and learners Carol Dweck's research on the benefits of a Growth Mindset is naturally appealing. Those who have a growth mindset achieve better results than those who don't, are more resilient and accept challenge willingly. In response schools have embraced the notion and classroom walls are adorned with posters identifying the characteristics of growth versus fixed mindsets. Teachers make efforts to shift their students towards a growth mindset and parents consider how they may assist in the process. After two years of incorporating a growth mindset philosophy we are finding that the reality of shifting a student's disposition away from a fixed mindset and then maintaining a growth mindset is significantly more complex than at first imagined. Numerous forces and influences play a role and progress is unlikely to match a linear curve. Where schools have made steps in the right direction, is in raising awareness of the two mindsets. In this regard the placement of posters and discussion around the role that our mindset has in our learning are steps in the right direction. Demonising the fixed mindset is perhaps an unnecessary step and our students may be better served by understanding that we all have times when we fall into a fixed mindset. Education of how we may recognise such times and apply strategies of mindfulness and metacognition would avoid shifting already vulnerable learners on to the circle of shame. Awareness is however far form the end of the journey towards reaping the benefits of a Growth Mindset."

"While brain training games and apps may not live up to their hype, it is well established that certain other activities and lifestyle choices can have neurological benefits that promote overall brain health and may help to keep the mind sharp as we get older. One of these is musical training. Research shows that learning to play a musical instrument is beneficial for children and adults alike, and may even be helpful to patients recovering from brain injuries. Competition: tell us your innovative transport idea… and win an iPadPro Read more "Music probably does something unique," explains neuropsychologist Catherine Loveday of the University of Westminster. "It stimulates the brain in a very powerful way, because of our emotional connection with it." Playing a musical instrument is a rich and complex experience that involves integrating information from the senses of vision, hearing, and touch, as well as fine movements, and learning to do so can induce long-lasting changes in the brain. Professional musicians are highly skilled performers who spend years training, and they provide a natural laboratory in which neuroscientists can study how such changes - referred to as experience-dependent plasticity - occur across their lifespan."

"Citizen Maths is for people who want to improve their grasp of maths, and become more confident in using maths at work and in life. Maths may have passed you by at school. Or you may be rusty. Maybe you've passed maths exams but find it hard to apply what you know to the types of problem you need to solve now. Problems like using spreadsheets, judging amounts or assessing odds. If so, then Citizen Maths may be for you. The course is at 'Level 2' - the level that a 16-year-old school leaver is expected to achieve in maths. (For questions about certification, please see our FAQ.) The course is based on solving the kinds of problems that come up at work and in life. And it is free. All you need is access to a computer, the internet and a basic grasp of maths. Sign up straight away, or try our nine-point check-list to see if Citizen Maths can help you."

"The pandemic has raised concerns about the way stress is affecting kids. Even though the word 'trauma' is on a lot of worried adults' minds these days, information about it is wide-ranging and can leave people feeling unsure about what to do next. Trauma is a response to life-threatening events, harmful conditions or stressful environments, writes Vermont-based educator Alex Shevrin Venet in her book "Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education." As students transition back to learning in school buildings, traumas that have been hard to see during Zoom classes may become more apparent. On top of that, adjusting to new schooling structures may be another hurdle for young learners and teachers alike. Educators who want to create a nurturing school environment for returning students or hybrid learners may find solutions in trauma-informed education that uses an equity lens."