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""If we know how and why music changes the brain in ways that affect other cognitive abilities," he says, "this could have a real impact on the value we put on it as an activity in the schools, not to mention all the impact it has on emotional development, emotional maturity, social skills, stick-to-itiveness, things we typically don't measure in school but which are hugely important in a child's ultimate success.""

"The dance of printing a document, taking a pen and signing it, then scanning and emailing it to a banker or client is one I think we've all done. It's also extremely inefficient, not to mention annoying. The Mac's handy-dandy Preview app makes it possible to fill out and digitally sign a document, but it's just as easy to sign from an iOS device, and of course there is no shortage of apps for that. I've whittled that selection down to these five that cover all the bases, letting you sign, fill out forms, connect to your cloud storage accounts, and use's iOS 8's share extension, among other features. The differences between them boil down to aesthetics, workflow, and pricing-which means one of them is probably just right for you."

"5 Steps to Writing A Poem is a visual created by  Cambridge University and outlines the 5 major stages to composing a poem. In fact, the steps mentioned here are generic and can be used for writing any other genre, of course with a bit of tweaking. As a teacher you might want to share this work with your students and guide them through the different stages they need to follow to produce a good piece of prose or poetry."

"Surveys and polls can serve a wide variety of educational purposes. As a teacher, you can use them to initiate quick formative assessments, gather informal feedback on your students learning, run mock exams, learn about students interests and learning pace to mention a few. You can also use them to evaluate your own teaching strategies and gain an insider look into your instruction. Upon your request, we have compiled some of the best iPad apps you can use to create  surveys and polls. Check out the list below and as always, share with us what you think of it."

"Over the three years Jordan Ellenberg was writing his book, he repeatedly encountered the same reaction to its subject. "I'd be at a party, and I'd tell someone what my book was about, and then I'd be like-'Hey, where'd you go?'" What topic was so awful and off-putting as to make people flee at its mere mention? Math." Book Review: "How Not to be Wrong" by Jordan Ellenberg

"For many, Python is the programming language of choice for use in the classroom. Why? There have been many ways to get at Python and make it successful. As mentioned previously, and it will come up with any computer science teacher, there's nothing like a silly missing semi-colon to drive the introductory programming student crazy. In many cases, people will introduce Scratch or Alice as an introductory language since building with blocks overcomes this situation. The programming concepts are great for those getting started."

"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.)"

Is your Windows-based PC not responding? Or are applications getting interrupted? Follow the below mentioned step-by-step instructions to fix the Windows Locks up issues instantly (halt the further troubleshooting, where you get the solution.):

Confronting errors with the new Microsoft Office installation? If yes, then you have reached the right page. Follow the below mentioned step-by-step instructions to uninstall Office 2003, Office 2007 or Office 2010:

"eople like maps. Give them a book with a map in the front, like Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series, and they will interrupt their regularly-scheduled reading happily to check out where the newly-mentioned river, mountain, or fjord is. It stands to reason, then, that people would enjoy making maps, too. And in this post on how to create effective homework (excuse me while I turn off the oxymoron alarms), Dan Bisaccio, former high school science teacher and now Director of Science Education at Brown University, discusses homework that might just be, if you'll excuse the audacity, fun."

"Until recently, the prevailing thought in education was that differentiation according the theory of multiple intelligences was a good thing. Then data started coming out, and the theories Howard Gardner set forth back in 1983 came under fire. Mention multiple intelligence (MI) thinking today, and you're guaranteed to rise the ire of someone on twitter telling you that it's 2014, and the 1980s are gone and there is no data that exists that proves MI does anything but waste time."

"This fact there are over 14 million iPads in schools illustrates how many 'decision makers' have chosen the iPad as a tool for learning. As we continue to integrate the iPad into schools, it is worth reflecting how the initial setup and training can have a real impact on the success or failure of a 1-to-1 programme. The recommendations below are borne out of a desire to help teachers without overwhelming them and to model good practice to students. There are many apps that could have been chosen, but those mentioned below are generic and able to serve a purpose across the curriculum."

"My students have noticed that I often say "You'll never see that in a math book". Some of the topics we explore take a twist and some of the methods I use to teach are a little unorthodox (but they help). Students affectionately call this a "Yencafied" lesson strategy, and often add a hashtag (#yencafy) in their notes! Come the end of this school year, I mentioned to my classes that I'd been thinking about this "never-see-that-in-a-math-book" theme, and I decided perhaps some of these strategies should show up in math books… and that these books should be authored by them. They loved the idea!"

"After its launch the iPad quickly became the darling of the K-12 education community. Schools and teachers quickly saw the opportunities that it afforded students and jumped to get them into their hands. Fast forward a few years and it seems that a lot of schools have relegated the iPad to a supporting role or ditched them entirely. As mentioned elsewhere this is primarily due to a lack of clear vision, a misunderstanding of what the iPad is and an imiginative, uninspiring curriculum. While the iPad may no longer be the technology de jour in certain circles it is impossible to ignore what a compelling device the iPad is. So, why is the iPad still the best choice for schools, teachers and students."

"Back in March of this year at the Future Ready Schools Summit at Leyden High School, I attended one of the featured speaker sessions led by James Sanders. It was a great session with lots of takeaways about meaningful digital learning. My biggest takeaway though, was one of the last things he mentioned in the session. I looked back at my notes and this is the last thing I typed… "Breakout room idea". James shared with us this breakout room idea and gave us a little background about how this all came about. He went on to explain to us that there are these escape rooms around the world where you pay to get "locked in" a room with friends and try to escape by solving puzzles and unlocking codes. He was in Edmonton, Canada, with some high school students playing one of these escape games and he was amazed at how hard these students were working during this game. James wanted to turn this incredible learning experience of problem solving and fun and into something that can be used in the classroom. I left there super excited about this."

"But when you're new at something, it's slow. It's painful, even. You suck at it. And when you realize you suck at it, you feel defeated. You second-guess every move. You are thinking so intentionally about every step that you sometimes feel like you are going nowhere. Over time, though, it becomes the backdrop. You've moved past the mechanics and you know what you're doing. It's a bit like driving a car. Remember when you sucked at driving? Remember when your heart would race if you went on the freeway? Remember when you had to tell yourself to turn on the turn signal? Well, that's what it's like when you are new at a creative process. You're suddenly the pimple-faced new driver trying to avoid an accident. I mention this, because I notice students who have never hit a place of creative fluency. They have no creative endurance. They give up quickly. They get frustrated too easily. They need too many instructions. But, honestly, it's because creativity has always been icing on the cake (which, honestly, is precisely what makes carrot cake a cake and not a loaf of zucchini bread). It's always been a "when we get to it" activity. It's been the culminating project. Then suddenly you have students who struggle to get anything done. However, it's not laziness. It's actually the byproduct of rarely getting the chance to make anything. "

"Yesterday I mentioned a useful tip for using physical keyboards with iPads in my guide to unlocking the full potential of the iPad Pro. The tip actually works with all iOS 9 iPads connected to external keyboards over Bluetooth, Lightning, or the Smart Connector: hold Command (⌘) to see a list of supported keyboard shortcuts for the Home screen or app you're in. This works in most of Apple's built-in apps and plenty of popular third-party apps as well, but it can be monotonous prompting that sheet in each app to get a sense of what keyboard shortcuts work. Instead, I've compiled a cheat sheet of which keyboard shortcuts work in all the system apps and several popular third-party apps. Whether you're using Apple's Smart Keyboard for the iPad Pro, Magic Keyboard, Logitech's excellent K811, or any other physical keyboard, these will make you more efficient when working on your iPad."

"Having fun with a craft project AND electronics thanks to Lilypad arduino. Good times! Sorry for the awful voice but just recovering from a throat infection. Sad times :( I should also mention this is NOT a sewing tutorial because I suck at textiles, but a first step into the world of electronic textiles. "