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"In Visible Learning John Hattie basically says that almost everything we do in our efforts to help students in schools has a positive effect on students. However, much of what we do actually isn't terribly effective… despite our beliefs in these practices. (For example: Homework)"

"One of the core principles of good iPad usage that my EdTechTeacher colleagues have developed is the idea that educators should focus on creation apps rather than content apps. Most apps that are designed to teach specific content are terrible, so educators shouldn't think of iPads as repositories of apps but rather as portable media creation devices. Thus, educators don't need to review and master the hundreds of education apps that come out every year; rather, they should consider how a small suite of apps related to annotation, curation, and image, audio, and video production could support diverse student performances of understanding. "

"If you ask any DIY fanatic what's on top of their wish-list, chances are pretty high they'll say a laser cutter or engraver. As you might expect, these exotic pieces of kit use high-powered lasers to cut through materials, or to engrave them with a design. Like a 3D printer, they're controlled by a computer, and work autonomously once provided with a design. Laser cutters aren't terribly new technology, and haven't quite captured the public attention like 3D printers have. However, they are incredibly cool, and much like 3D printers, prices have crashed to the point where they're now affordable for DIY enthusiasts. Which brings us on to a really interesting question: What one should you get? What can you make with it? And crucially, what should you do to ensure that you use them as safely as possible?"

"Social media is fascinating.  It's the double edged sword of the 21st century.  It can highlight the good and it can put a magnifying glass on the bad.  There is a story going viral right now about a teen having her birthday party alone. I love that this teen is going to be flooded with cards that will likely mean more to her than any of us can comprehend.  It's going to be a really awesome surprise for her. But, then I start to get frustrated.  The string of people proclaiming, "I'm sending a card," goes viral.  Everyone proclaiming how terrible it is for this teen to be alone on her birthday.  Everyone who must not have any true idea of what autism is really like for families, for children, and for the world."

"Even the maximum volume on the iPad can sometimes seem a little quiet, which has prompted many of us to perform thet tried-and-true 'cup your hand over the speaker' trick that gets us a little more sound -which works really well for a quick video clip but isn't terribly practical or comfortable for more than a few seconds."

"Visual recording is what it sounds like it'd be. As opposed to recording audio, visual recording captures visuals, though not necessarily in photographic form. The process of visually capturing ideas with the iPad isn't terribly complex in concept. If you can think of concept-mapping, you've halfway there."

"I had the pleasure of being at SLATE (technology conference here in Wisconsin) the last two days, and beside the wonderful people I got to connect and re-connect with, there was also one session that made me terribly excited. And while I am not usually one to share tech tools, these are all pretty easy, free and fantastic. All of this come courtesy of Mickey Chavannes @mchavannes."

"Do you ever think an idea is just terrible, but you are forced to do it? Like this whole trend in education with all these devices being brought into schools, or in some cases, even purchased by the schools. As absurd as this may sound, it's happening people, and it's high time we take a stand and stop this madness. Now, something with this much momentum might be hard to derail, but I'd like to provide you with some tools necessary to sabotage a device initiative if you are having to lead one in your district."

"A number of reasons commonly given for lecturing and claims commonly made for the efficiency of lecturers are examined for their basis in empirical evidence and common sense. Most of these claims are found to be somewhat weak. It appears that lecturing takes place rather more often than can be reasonably justified. The real reasons for the popularity of lecturing amongst lecturers are then examined. Of the twenty reasons for lecturing examined here, the first nine have little substance and the last eleven are avoidable."

"A bit of software for Windows and Mac computers. Create stop-motion movies from webcam snap shots. Add an mp3 soundtrack. Export as a .flv video for upload to YouTube. Watch the terrible video I made to see how it works."

"Living a life of perpetual travel is pretty exciting - new destinations, new cultures and new incredible people to meet and hang out with! However, working on the road can get pretty hectic at times. As a digital nomad I have found myself in rather awkward situations a lot - from missed deadlines due to incorrect time zone conversion to a nearly missed plane when I forgot to print out my booking and confused the time (I did catch that plane though!). Being your own boss is equally awesome and hellish. Juggling numerous tasks at once and getting things done super-fast with a terrible wi-fi connection requirea killer organizational skills and zen-like concentration. Try using the next 20 websites and apps to make your life as a digital nomad easier, less stressful and even more exciting!"

"Terrible Twos. Threenagers. Fearsome Fours.  These are years marked by tantrums and meltdowns - palpable reminders that young children haven't yet learned how to regulate their emotions. But rather than wait for them to outgrow this phase, caregivers can use this window to teach emotional literacy skills that will yield immediate and long-term benefits. Increasingly, research confirms the efficacy of explicit training in emotional intelligence starting at a very young age. According to multiple studies, preschoolers who participate in social-emotional skills programs exhibit less aggression and anxiety and become better social problem solvers. While these outcomes may make for a more peaceful classroom environment, the benefits outlive preschool: prosocial behavior in early childhood is strongly linked with future academic performance and mental health.  In other words, when children learn how to calm themselves down, use language to express their feelings and treat others with kindness, they are laying the foundation for future success and wellness."

"Everyone likely has a few photos sitting on their iPhone they'd rather nobody else see, whether it's embarrassing selfies, poorly filtered or edited pics, a picture of a receipt or personal paperwork, or anything else in the realm of private photos. Those pictures can make showing someone another picture on your iPhone (or iPad) an awkward experience, as you're hoping they don't start flipping through your Camera Roll to discover that terrible photo of you after winning the pie eating contest. Fortunately the newest versions of iOS include a new way to mitigate that potential awkwardness by hiding select photos."

"English grammar is a topic that actually frustrates a number of people. Irrespective of learning level or nationality, spelling and grammar error seems to confuse a lot of individuals. And in case anyone has a learning debility such as dyslexia, using accurate grammar looks like a terrible task. Using grammar correctly could be challenging may be not for those who are English native speaker, but surely for those who learn English from scratch. English language and its difficulties can be very much puzzling. Although, a dictionary or software can assist learners but it cannot give accurate answer. In fact, word processing programs are not very much effective in correcting grammar errors completely. Now, the question is how one can improve or nourish their English grammar skill? With the advancement in the technology, there are a number of tools that might help those struggling to improve their grammar. Web technology has actually contributed a lot in this through the ease of access. Today, you can find a number of tools, apps and websites available over the web that helps in learning and improving grammar from scratch. Here is a list of top ten websites for teaching or learning grammar lessons."

If you can't watch the video on Facebook you can see it on YouTube - "If you've ever seen the movie The King's Speech, you remember the incredible feeling at the end when the King finally overcame the debilitating speech impediment he suffered from since he was a boy. Musharaf Asghar is no King, he is just a young man who has suffered his entire life, like the king, with a terrible stutter. In this heartwarming video, Mushy's teacher uses the same method as in the movie - using music to overcome anxiety - to help Mushy speak. For this man, even getting a few words out felt impossible, but once he started getting the hang of it, there was no stopping him."