Group items tagged

"...There is scope to engage the pupils in a structured debate to challenge misconceptions, structure arguments and encourage independent study. Additionally, participating in debates can develop confidence and public speaking skills." A good practice for critical thinking and listening speaking skills. This article does not give classroom tips for setting up debates, but you might want to have a judging panel, and also help students prepare while focusing on the factual as well as the rhetorical side of debating.

"So far the learning style debate has been mostly two tiles of a different color laid side by side-you are either fer it or agin it-we should assess student learning styles to improve learner outcome verses learning style assessments are unreliable, thus they should not never be used. However, I see the debate more as a mosaic that allows multiple patterns to occur." This blog has some very thoughtful comments on using learning styles effectively, based on actual studies of how students learn. A refreshing change from the bandwagon of LS proponents. His other blog posts are well worth exploring.

These include tried and true strategies to spark discussion, such as sentence starters and provocative debate ideas, but also colorful charts that can be used as graphic organizers on the wall of your classroom.

Just one blog entry in a long debate. Follow the link to Deborah Meier's blog as well. Maybe it's time to ditch standardized testing as a way of measuring children -- and schools. As one writer said, why not also use them to measure neighborhoods and cities as well?

"If we believe that someone's talent is fixed-including our own-we are effectively writing off any options for growth. But if we believe that talent, or intelligence, or any other ability, evolves as a result of how much effort we put in, the opportunities are endless." Yet another contribution to the innate vs. acquired debate about intelligence.

Includes quiz=maker, a URL shortener, copyright-free stock photo site, social media aggregator, a pdf file merger, debate platform, etc. Very useful tools.

This two-step exam process sounds like a great way to do online-exams: "The two-stage exam is a relatively simple way to introduce collaborative learning and formative assessment into an exam. Their use is rapidly growing in the physics department at the University of British Columbia, as both students and faculty find them rewarding. In a two-stage exam students first complete and turn in the exam individually, and then, working in small groups, answer the exam questions again. During the second stage, the room is filled with spirited and effective debate with nearly every student participating. This provides students with immediate targeted feedback supplied by discussions with their peers. Furthermore, we see indications that the use of this exam format not only ensures consistency across interactive course components, but it also positively impacts how students approach the other collaborative course components. This is accomplished without losing the summative assessment of individual performance that is the expectation of exams for most instructors. In this paper we describe how to implement two-stage exams and provide arguments why they should be part of physics courses that use interactive engagement and social/collaborative learning methods." The paper is from The Physics Teacher, AAPT.

"What if classroom learning was a little more active? Would university instruction be more effective if students spent some of their class time on active forms of learning like activities, discussions, or group work, instead of spending all of their class time listening? "A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences addressed this question by conducting the largest and most comprehensive review of the effect of active learning on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. Their answer is a resounding yes. According to Scott Freeman, one of the authors of the new study, "The impact of these data should be like the Surgeon General's report on "Smoking and Health" in 1964-they should put to rest any debate about whether active learning is more effective than lecturing."" This is great news for teachers of EFL/ESL also.

It's all about an authentic learning experience! The 12-13-yr-old kids in this blog discussion really learned a lot more than about the nature of complex carbs in this exchange of views. Should kids be involved in authentic debate -- well, sure!

You can put a question up on the website and then students reply with their webcam. It's a nice tool for oral language practice, digital storytelling, debates, etc. R. Stannard shows how to use the tool and suggestions for lesson plans. He notes that you will need a fairly fast internet connection.

"Overall, Behaviorism, although controversial in the modern educational settings, continues to remain a tool at every educator's disposal to construct foundations for lessons and help students to succeed. The incorporation of current and burgeoning technologies will further fuel the debate regarding the use of behaviorist instructional/behavior modification strategies, however, these same technologies can help even the most struggling student to succeed and thrive in their educational career. We must ask whether we, as adults, like the ways in which our behaviors are modified by these digital, social spaces. Only upon some honest reflection can we answer whether we want to do the same to our children." A thoughtful examination of how behaviorism applies in the uses of technology and generally in classroom practices.

Recommends Ferris & Hedgcock and Kroll

"This suite of tools has been designed to support online teaching and learning. They are available to authorised users for use in educational institution and classrooms. Edith Cowan University does not guarantee or provide any warranty for the tools. "Teachers wishing to use the tools simply need to register with their name and email. The tools can then be accessed with these details. ... The site is managed and maintained by Ron Oliver who can be contacted with queries if the need arises. The site is a development site and has new tools in development and fixes being made to existing tools." Looks to be a very interesting set of online tools with modest interfaces. Suggestions for uses with students are pedagogically sound.