CSMFall2014

This article suggests 19 ways to integrate technology in your daily and weekly classroom routine. Even if you have a slight fear of technology, this gives seemingly painless ways to integrate it into your classroom that is useful and engaging for both the student and teacher.

These are simple ideas with practical purposes. This is a great article for teachers just starting to incorporate technology into the classroom. Baby steps!

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 was an article by Robert Earl from "The Atlantic". It focuses on how American High School students are using their cellphones to listen to music, texting, in the hallways and any opportunity to use it in the classroom with the teacher's permission. According to the University of Michigan, 71% of the students receive or send text messages by their cellphones in class. Many students say they "can focus on their schoolwork better if they are listening to music through their earbuds". There are four advantages that benefits the students and two disadvantages of using cellphones in the classroom. The most important message is that either way students must be taught to love learning -- to embrace the process of finding answers. We as educators to need to embrace using all types of technology in the classroom as well.

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.

Philip Cotton was one of the first teacher in the UK to use 3D printing in the classroom. He talks about its uses in the classroom and the necessity for students to learn the technology now so that they are prepared for future careers that haven't even been invented yet. This article gives real life examples of 3D printings classroom applications, as well as highlighting safety concerns and software needs.

Awesome. I've already started sharing this article. Keeping up with new trends like 3D printing is great, I needed to see some of these applications.

Technology is considered a necessary tool for use in higher education and the economy. As future employees of companies, our students will be required to adapt quickly, gain knowledge and apply it in a variety of ways. As a teacher integrating technology, one must design and instruct in the manner to which they are the most comfortable but think always about their student's futures not their own in relation to technology.

I appreciate that the author focused on the underlying learning objectives first. He also mentioned that technology could be a time-saver, but didn't feel the need to use every free website offered to him.

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.

"Imagine a system that provides teachers with real-time insights to understand how a student is performing. The teacher can then use the data to spot weak areas and adjust the lesson plan accordingly. This type of tailored instruction has the ability to greatly improve student performance." We've been learning about individualized instruction in all of our classes, and now Xerox researchers have been tracking students for the past 7 years in New York and California to invent a system where teachers "could determine what concepts were being taught successfully and which were missing the mark-- and they could do it on a student-by-student, class-by-class basis."

It is important to remember students with writing disabilities, have the hardest time with writing. This article is about assistive technology we can use to help those students. By giving these tools students who have trouble writing, can help them become better writers, or at least make their writing better. Either way it will help the student needing writing help.

Nice find. Always good to have this kind of research to support our learners.

This journal covers Tessellations in the classrooms and how they can be done by pretty much any student. In the classroom, they can be used for a variety of technology educational activities, such as graphic arts like screen printing and 3D printing. These techniques can be used in practical and artistic ways with basic geometry and symmetry skills. According to their research, these tessellation activities can be successful and challenging for most students. I couldn't find this article online anywhere else other than the library at school or ebhost site. Sorry

This sounds really good and interesting that it talked about 3D printing.

Wiki's are a great tool for students to come together to edit and create a document. The website includes popular, FREE wiki platforms for teachers to use, includes resources for further reading and gives examples on how to use Wiki's in the classroom. This website is a great resource in general for including technological resources in a Language Arts classroom, which can be difficult to do, especially when teaching writing and literature. http://tewt.org

This is a worthwhile article for teachers to read if they are starting a wiki page. The article includes a treasure chest of resources.

A teacher edited his student's rough drafts for statewide test to make sure punctuation and capitalization were correct on their exams. She stated she felt the pressure of performing well on the exams. Other states have been found to cheat on the standard test created by No Child Left Behind. How do you feel a teacher should be punished for violating standard assessment rules for a broken system like NCLB? Do you feel NCLB standards help or hurt students? teachers? Why do they hurt and why do the help? Why do you fell there are so many scandals with teachers cheating for students? Do they not have confidence in their teaching abilities and/or their students?

Such a heartbreaking and timely article. Great summary and questions.

Children who are physically fit absorb and retain new information more effectively than children who are out of shape, a new study finds, raising timely questions about the wisdom of slashing physical education programs at schools. How might you, as a teacher, incorporate physical fitness into your class, even if it is only for a couple minutes? Today, technology has become such a large portion of our life, what can be done to encourage students to become more physically active outside of school rather than play video games all night? Who would be a good resource to find out further information about types of physical activity for your students?

You only have one sentence of summary (as written). You need to have at least two or three. Great questions.

In our reading of Reeves, chapter 7, Wiggins and McTighe are mentioned a few times so I googled their names and came up with this article that can be helpful to us. (This is not my assignment article, just wanted to bookmark it for later reading)

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 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.

In today's times, the K-12 classroom is continually evolving in order to adapt to the fast paced world of technological advances. It's important that teachers keep up-to-date with the latest helpful technology for their students and that parents understand the ramifications of that technology. This blog gives a list of technology trends that are impacting education both with their pros and cons listed.

Good article. Please make sure to include three questions.

Don't let the title fool you, this is a very interesting article with good points. At the root of many American problems lies an ineffective and outdated education system that is failing our students. Inequality and education have always been continually linked, and if we don't fix education, we don't fix inequality. Simply put, our students are not being prepared to compete in today's global, hyper-connected economy, and, for low-income students, the outlook is especially grim. DISCUSSION: 1.) Are massive online open courses going to be effective? 2.) The authors want to create adaptive optimized learning environments. How will low-income schools be able to afford this luxury? 3.) Is using "gaming" an effective way to intrigue student learning?

Great article to consider. Excellent questions!

I have been very intrigued by the thought of a flipped classroom (where students watch your lecture in the privacy of their own home and then come to class and work on homework and assignments) so I wanted to do little more research on the idea. This is a great article FOR flipped classrooms. There were 453 instructors who flipped their classrooms and 67 percent said they experienced increased test scores, 88 percent saw improved student attitudes and 99 percent said they would do it again. The flipped classroom allows for self-pacing and it helps students look up information they may have been scared to ask in class. This reminds me of when I was in college, if I read the chapter prior to my class I ALWAYS got more out of the lectures and homework than I did if I did not read. The flipped classroom allows for students to do their homework in class when the instructor is present so they can get help. In a flipped classroom instead of talking AT our students we are circulating and talking WITH them therefore, instructors have more one-on-one time with the students. What do you think of incorporating a flipped classroom? DISCUSSION: 1) Would you be willing to try a flipped classroom if your school would allow? Or, would you ask if you could try a flipped classroom? 2) I wonder if students would even watch the videos. In my daughter's school it seems most students aren't even doing their homework, do you think they would watch the videos before class? 3) Do you think the flipped classroom would be effective and: increase test scores, provide for improved student attitudes, improve student-teacher interaction, and allow students to learn at their own pace?

I am starting to see this more and more in my school. Great questions to consider!

Colleen Klaiber-Deacon Activity in classrooms is a great way to keep students more focused on learning. There are many different activities a teacher can do in the classroom, with classroom materials that is quick and to the point. From moving to stretching to even types of yoga, fuel up to play 60 has great activities for you to perform in class. 1. What is a major advantage that you can think of for getting students to move around? 2. What could you do as a teacher to make activities in the classroom more exciting and fun? 3. Is taking time to do physical activity in the classroom worth it? Explain?

Great article!