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This article provides 10 suggested guidelines to follow for schools seeking to implement a student centered learning environment. This begins with the definition of student centered learning to mean learning which is student driven. The suggestions range in content from changing the teacher role to be one of coach / facilitator to redefining student success so as to not be overly reliant on grades and test scores. Discussion Questions: 1. The article uses student centered learning and student driven learning to be synonymous. Is this truly the case, or is student driven learning merely one iteration of student centered learning? 2. The article is careful to clarify that student centered learning is not a one size fits all nor equally applicable to all subjects. Which subjects are less amenable to the student centered / driven learning as portrayed in the article? 3. How realistic is it for a school to transition away from grades as a measurement of student learning given that grades and class rank are two of the main criteria colleges look at in making admission determinations?

Love the concept of student centered learning :)

In this article, Bill Tolley describes what blended learning is and what it might look like in a classroom. It discusses how teachers can combine face-to-face learning with online learning and why it is necessary in the 21st century to do so. It talks about the shift from teacher as gatekeeper to coach/tutor for students as we move toward a more democratic learning style that incorporates technology.

Nice find on blended learning. The state of Nebraska is investing a lot in the idea of blended learning and supporting blended classrooms.

The use of cell phones are, often times, banned in the classrooms. This article discusses how smart phones in the classroom may be beneficial to students and their learning. Smart phones allows students to learn in a way that is comfortable to them, gives them access to find answers quickly, utilize audio and video on the devices to enhance the learning process, and allows for social learning. Schools shouldn't be thinking of ways to keep students from using their smart phone devices, but instead, think of how to allow use of smart phones in the classroom. Teachers can be a positive influence in helping students use their smart phones appropriately in the classroom to assist in learning.

This is also an inexpensive source of technology for the schools since most students have a Smartphone and the school doesn't have to provide the device.

This article focuses on the affect that adventure learning (or distance learning) has on motivation and learning outcomes among middle school students. This technology forum provides them with opportunities to learn about world issues as they are happening while getting to experience them online through the use of Google maps, audio recordings, and daily emails directly from their teacher. The research from this article found positive correlations between adventure learning as a form of technology in the classroom and increased student motivation.

That is really exciting as more schools are using this technology.

This article discusses how mistakes are a teachable opportunity that many educators are missing. The writer hopes to change the shame and hiding that comes with mistakes and instead discuss them openly so that teachers and students can share what they learned as a result of their mistake. The article goes on to give advice to teachers to create a personal learning community where mistakes can be viewed as opportunities and nine things to change in your classroom with your students and how you address mistakes. 1.Do you believe that students should have the opportunity to fix mistakes on graded papers (for credit) so that they are learning from them? 2. The article believes that many creative, talented kids are being left out of gifted programs because they only include the students with the least mistakes on standardized tests. What do you think would be the best way to identify these students? 3. Do you believe that students learn from their mistakes currently?

Shannon Walker posted the above article. I forgot to sign it, since my username is different!

Thanks, Shannon. Love this article.

This is a 2013 article by M. Soobik from the Journal of Technology Education. It focuses on Technology Education teachers' opinions on the physical learning environment of Technology Education and compares and analyses the changes in the physical learning environment of Technology Education. The article found that the physical learning environment is important to the overall success of the students ability to learn and fully utilize modern technology.

This is really interesting how they researched the physical learning environment and its impact on technology.

This article reviews the shift in learning styles. It describes the development of culture labs that foster learning for the sake of growing and developing. The idea is being utilized in college classrooms and needs to filter into earlier learning environments in order to accelerate the learning process and develop a stronger culture of learners.

Interesting read, many institutions need to start thinking about the points brought up in this article.

This article talks about the differences between males and females regarding this question: "Do male students have more confidence in using technology for learning than female students?" The study talked about was done in Hong Kong, this specific study found that both men and women like to learn using technology unlike in other studies done on this topic it was found that women are relatively new to the school setting and still have some of the old mindset, that women should only learn certain things and technology is more for males. Many students in Hong Kong and all over the world use technology every day, and gender doesn't matter.

I would agree that gender should not matter.

This article discusses" blended learning." This is where they move from a one-size-fits all teaching to a personalized form of teaching. The capability for children to use technology and have someone also physically teaching will enhance the learning of a child.

Personalized learning is key! Nice find.

This website has a lot of information for teachers with students with learning disabilities (LD). The site covers students with ADHA, ADD, and LD. The site has videos on students with LD and how to help them. The resource is endless for example,Processing deficits, the two most difficult areas are visual and auditory perception. This area of resource gives articles, multimedia, questions and answers, recommended books, in our Learning Store, recommended links, and forums to talk to other educators and parents. I will use this by referring to the information when I need more information to help with a student with LD, ADHD, or ADD.

By the end of the school year, your second grader may be using word processing programs. They should be able to use draw and paint software. They should be able to use PowerPoint for presentation and have a wide range of technology by the end of second grade.

This article included great information for me. I'm always curious to learn when students are learning these programs.

This article focuses on the future of the 2007 law that created the Learning Community. Recent reports have failed to show a connection between the Open Enrollment policy and student performance on Nebraska Assessments. Another area that the policy fell short on, was achieving the blended socioeconomic of students that the lawmakers wanted to see. Decisions will be made about the future of the policy at the next legislative session and these reports could drive big changes to be made. 1. What is your personal opinion on the Open Enrollment policy? 2.What changes could be made to improve the policy? 3. What ideas to you have that could improve the socioeconomic diversity of our students in our city schools?

So glad someone posted this. Interesting.

TB Today is Digital Learning Day, a national promotional effort by the Alliance for Excellence in Education to call attention to using technology in schools. More than 10,000 teachers and 1.5 million students have signed up in support to "celebrate innovative teachers and highlight instructional practices that strengthen teaching and personalize learning for all students," according to the AEE.

This article outlines the benefits of using technology in the classroom. Most importantly, the article mentions that technology is essential to preparing students for successful futures. While technology cannot totally replace traditional learning methods, a classroom should be a blend of traditional and technological learning.

This article makes the point that we as educators need to use technology as the teaching tool it is, and NOT let our students (or ourselves) get into the habit of taking information for granted. We need to work to teach accurate and evolving tech habits and learn together by doing--not by copying and pasting. This article also seeks to bring this collaboration of learning tech in the classroom as a human interaction network where we can promote interaction--not isolation.

Good article on the Net-Generation! I enjoyed reading about the distinct approaches that different people take towards technology depending on their comfort level and the purpose.

This article is about using technology in the classroom to transform kids into risk-takers. It's about using games as a learning tool. Games that help them learn about American history. "Good teaching is not about playing it safe. It's about getting kids to ask questions, argue a point, confront failure and try again."

Using Global Positioning Systems devices as mobile devices to engage children in mathematics learning. They can use Ipads, Ipods, for finding positioning on a map. They can use Geocaching to make an outdoor treasure hunt. The children can use devices to measure distance between cities and countries, weather, speed, and distance traveled. They can also use hand held devices to measure temperatures in the classroom, and on the playground. Many ways to use mobile devices to support student learning.

This article is about Amplify, a new online school curriculum that promises to personalize education for students. While it might appear pricey at $199 per student per year, the price tag includes a preloaded tablet for each student with curriculum content tailored to state standards. This tool is meant to make learning more interactive, as well as track student progress, including areas where the student struggles; early studies have shown positive outcomes in reading and comprehension.

This article describes a teaching experience in which information and communication technologies were applied in five industrial engineering courses at the Universidad de Tarapaca in Chile. The paper compares the performance and course pass rates of the e-learning platform and portable pocket PC platform with those of the same courses teaching in traditional classroom methods. Two of the courses involving 62 students used an e- learning platform and its associated pedagogical model, while the other three, covering 110 students, employed a portable Pocket PC platform and a collaborative pedagogical model. The results show that there is no statistical evidence that technology rise the students marks, but did reveal significant improvements in course pass rates.

This is really interesting as there are many people who would agree that technology does not have a significant impact in improving grades.