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"Of the many ways that technology enhances our lives, one compelling example is assistive technology (AT) -- tools to help people with learning or motor disabilities complete everyday tasks. In schools, assistive tech can mean the difference between a student falling behind or being able to successfully work alongside other kids in an inclusion model. Check out Edutopia curator Ashley Cronin's new roundup on assistive technology for a comprehensive list of resources; to accompany that, I wanted to share some amazing videos I've found about how technology can empower kids with special needs."

"Below is a selection of the basic blogging terms that are definitely a must-know for any beginner blogger. The aim behind this list is to help teachers and students new to the blogosphere avoid those "awkward" lexical confrontations with technical terms . Learning and understanding this terminology will absolutely help you blog better."

"One of the first reasons behind me buying iPad was to be able to access and read my PDFs anytime anywhere I want without having to always depend on my Mac for that. However, my experience with reading PDFs on iPad has taught me many things and over the time I came to discover a wide range of great apps to use on my PDFs. These are particularly apps which you can use to annotate, highlight, add notes, record, and comment on the content of your PDFs. I have compiled these apps in the list below and want you to have a look."

"CHICAGO - By the time they reach eighth grade, according to federal tests, half of all African-American schoolboys have not mastered the most basic math skills that educators consider essential for their grade level. A new paper being released Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests a promising approach for helping the most challenged students, who often arrive in high school several years behind their peers."

"To be clear-learning can happen in the absence of technology. Integrated poorly, technology can subdue, distract, stifle, and obscure the kind of personal interactions between learner, content, peer, and performance that lead to learning results. But increasingly we live in a world where technology is deeply embedded into everything we do. Thinking about it simply in terms of "digital literacy" puts you about 5 years behind the curve. It's really much more than that-less about being connected, and more about being mobile. There will be growing pains, and I'm sure educators that have brought in BYOD programs into their school can come up with 50 reasons it won't work. But most of those 50 are a product of the continued poor fit that exists between schools and communities-the system and the humans it serves."

"Learn about the evidence base behind some of the strategies and practices featured on Edutopia, and use this information to advocate for changes in your school or district."

"The Winter Olympics presents a great opportunity to work some science lessons into your students' interest in a current event. The National Science Foundation offers a YouTube playlist of sixteen videos on the science of Winter Olympics events. These short videos teach lessons on the physics and engineering behind the events we see on television. That playlist is embedded below."

"When it comes to solving word problems in the math classroom, children should be able to explain their thinking. This includes identifying the strategies they used and the thought process behind their decisions. Students should use grade-appropriate math vocabulary and models that demonstrate the steps they took to solve a problem. In this post, we're going to take a look at how screencasting can be used in a fourth grade classroom to meet a Common Core State Standard while addressing a 21st century skill: communicate clearly. "

"We know that each student is unique, but what about each student's brain? This new Students at the Center infographic draws on the research from Mind, Brain, and Education to depict the brain science behind student-centered approaches to learning."

"Infographics are everywhere. Some love them. Some hate them. But however you feel, it's fun to learn a little bit in a short period of time. Most are made so you can quickly grasp the key concepts behind them. That's a key thing to keep in mind if you want to make your own infographics. Lucky for you, there are a pantload of free and freemium tools out there to help you out. Some are more robust than others but many are easy enough to try out. That's what Edudemic is all about after all - sharing useful resources that you try out and use to enhance your life."

"We're rapidly heading into a world where those who can't understand code are left behind. Everyone should try learning at least one programming language, even if it's just so that they can communicate their needs to tech people. Knowing some code-fu does wonders for your problem-solving and logic, too. Whether you're aiming for eventual App Store success, dipping your toes into a new hobby, or just trying to learn a new skill, these eight iOS apps will help you distinguish loops from conditionals and provide all the groundwork you need to become a 1337 coder - no matter your age or technical know-how."

"Wow! Just came across this great video from Good and the No right brain left behind project and have to say their project to address the creativity crisis in education is quite mind blowing. This isn't just about ideas it's action."

"Since experimenting with "20% Time" in my class a few years ago, I've been fascinated by the research and history of this practice in education and the business world. This has led me down a long road to finally writing a book (to be published by Routledge) on inquiry-driven education and 20% time."

"If you don't have a YouTube channel as an education provider, there's a good chance you're behind the times. Nearly every major educational institution in the world now hosts its own collection of videos featuring news, lectures, tutorials, and open courseware. Just as many individuals have their own channel, curating their expertise in a series of broadcasted lessons."

"One of the most iconic freedom fighter has just left us a couple of days ago leaving behind him a huge legacy for next generations to learn from. Nelson Mandella's life was a genuine fight for human rights and justice and it was thanks to his civil activism that apartheid was abolished in South Africa. The fight for freedom cost Nelson so dearly, 27 years of his life was spent in prison. The lessons we can draw from Nelson's eventful life experiences are inestimable and here are some of the teaching resources I have curated fro you to help yu teach your students about this legendary man."

"Learnist is one of the hot education-oriented social networks you should know about. If you're a teacher, student, administrator, or anyone who wants to learn while browsing the web, you should know about Learnist. Founded by the folks behind Grockit (the test-prep company), I've been following Learnist since inception. This course is a quick overview of all the key points to know about! Take This Course Students "

"For the Burlington, MA Public Schools (BPS), the district's 1:1 iPad initiative isn't so much about the devices as it is about changing the classroom environment and creating more hands on learning opportunities. The focus behind the technology is the same as it's always been: good teaching practices. The only change is the workflow."

"Educators, researchers, and students are discovering the benefits and advantages of cooperative, active, and engaged learning. Classroom spaces that support such a shift in teaching and learning have lagged behind. A significant opportunity exists for maximizing learning opportunities and creating meaningful experiences by rethinking the classroom experience."

""Miss, it's reading period," one student reminded me. That's the one period a week we all read together. This week, though, we're a bit behind. "Well," I said, we have to finish this section, and if we have reading period today, we will have to finish the section tomorrow…" my voice trailed off. Genius Hour was scheduled for the next day. Genius Hour is a relative of Project-Based Learning that allows students to work on a subject of interest to them."