"Over the summer we interviewed two dozen school and network leaders producing strong academic results and developing powerful young people. Considering their leadership stories, we found ten things in common:"
"The iPad has proven to be an especially useful communication tool for young people with autism. It provides a way to express themselves through words and images; it can be used to teach them about everyday scenarios and give them more independence. It's also far less bulky than some communication devices of the past. "
"Learning math can be a great source of fun for kids. There is a wide variety of entertaining and interactive online games to use with your kids to introduce them to basic as well as intermediate mathematical concepts. As learning aids, games are proven to engage kids' attention and boost their interest in learning. To this purpose, and besides the multiple math resources we have shared here over the last couple of years, here is a very good collection of websites that provide games designed specifically to address kids mathematical needs."
"More antidotes of very young learners becoming engaged by and using apps continue to surface. There is even early evidence that preschoolers who use iPads for some guided activities have a small advantage with language acquisition. Dr D Bebell, Sue Dorris and Dr Mike Muir from the Auburn School District presented to Auburn School District Committee. This has yet to be proven conclusively but may have interesting outcomes for early years teachers.
There was no suggestion of which apps were used in the study but it did make me curious to see what apps were available for early learners. Here are a number of apps that can be used by preschool and infants age kids.
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"Each time a new iOS version is released, users prepare for problems associated with bugs, but also look for novel ways to exploit the new functionality to their advantage. At The iTeach Hub we have developed a practical means to effectively prevent users from manipulating Settings in iOS7. It is essentially a means to lock Settings and we want to share it with you. This relatively simple process is outlined below. Technically, it is not a Settings lock, but our trials with this approach involving students have proven to be very effective at keeping them out of Settings."
"As a teacher, delving into the world of education technology can be daunting. There is SO MUCH out there. How is a busy teacher to know where to begin?
Fortunately, Glenda Stewart-Smith of Surrey School District #36 in Canada has put together this collection of essential teaching tools. Each has been shown to be effective in the classroom. There is no need to dive in head-first. If you are drowning in a sea of edtech, wade in this proven pool first."
"Need to create a poster for your classroom? There are a number of websites and mobile apps you can use to help you craft something beautiful and informative. You can thank Holly Whitt, librarian for Walnut Grove Elementary School, for curating this collection of proven resources."
"I wish geometry was taught in this way when I was in school.
Curriki's new Project-based Learning (PBL) high school Geometry course is now available. For so many students, it's difficult to make a real-life connection between math and their everyday lives. By adopting a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach, students learn that geometry is not only theoretical, but practical and necessary. Students will move beyond a basic understanding of concepts to an enjoyment of discovery.
This free Geometry course not only leverages the popular PBL "active" approach but is also aligned to Common Core State Standards. Thom Markham, Ph.D., President of PBL International, is the designer of the course. He notes that Project-Based Learning points us toward the future of education. "It's a proven method for integrating the 21st century skills of communication and teamwork into the delivery of core subjects.""
"Brain researchers have long studied how students hear and read individual words, but it has proven difficult to parse out what happens when a reader understands a long and difficult passage of text.
Now, a team of researchers at Northwestern University in Evanston,Ill., have developed a new way to view reading comprehension in the brain, and in the process highlighted a new angle for testing comprehension that isn't skewed by a student's background knowledge."
"Inside a classroom, opportunities to learn about common viruses arise when illnesses cycle through, like the cold, flu and some conjunctivitis. Those ailments often come and go with students spending a couple of days recovering at home. However, the types of communicable diseases that capture the nation's attention tend to be more deadly, such as Ebola. While students can learn about how these diseases affect the human body and communities through news, books and movies, another platform has proven itself useful as an educational tool: games. By playing games about how relationships and outcomes are tested by more deadly viruses, players are pushed to work together to ensure survival."
"Keeping up with the biggest trends in education is no easy task. There are many that come and go before you even realize what they were. There are a few major learning trends that don't look like they're going away anytime soon. That's become they've proven themselves to effective methods of helping students of any age learn. That is the idea of education, after all, no?
One of the biggest trends that you should try (not just know about and ignore) is personalized learning. So what is personalized learning, you ask? Here's my take:"
"True Project Based Learning (PBL) challenges students to acquire deeper knowledge of a concept by establishing connections outside their classroom. According to the research on PBL, the main tenets are to create real world connections, develop critical thinking skills, foster structured collaboration, motivate student driven work, and enable a multifaceted approach.
Similarly, coding applies all of these core tenets as programs require logical thinking, team work, a variety of tools, and - most importantly - perseverance on the part of the student. Consider the potential of applying the challenges of coding to the proven successful tenets of PBL."
"Ed note: This is the first part of a two-post mini-series (can you call two posts a mini-series?) The second part of this post will be published tomorrow morning, and will focus on the design cycle of genius hour and passion-based learning.
For the past eight years students in Year Six at Redlands have participated in a Personal Passion Project during Term Four.
It is a way to finish their time in Junior School with a project that connects their passion with all they have learned about managing inquiry/design based projects to that point. Over the years it has proven to be a highlight of the year and has produced amazing results. With a change to the Australian & NSW syllabus we have had to revise our approach to the Personal Passion Project and so now is the perfect time to reflect on the past and identify the lessons learned."
"No matter what subject they teach or what age group their students fall into, all teachers face the same basic challenge: They have to find a way to actively engage students in the learning process. Today's learners tend to respond best to interactive teaching methods, so many instructors have integrated technology into their lesson plans. Here are five ways to engage students in your classroom."