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D. S. Koelling

Wikipedia Comes of Age - The Chronicle of Higher Education - 38 views

  • Not all information is created equal. The bottom layers (the most ubiquitous, whose sources are the most ephemeral, and with the least amount of validation) lead to layers with greater dependability, all the way to the highest layers, made up mostly of academic resources maintained and validated by academic publishers that use multiple peer reviews, trained editors, and scholarly reviewers. When the system is effective, the layers serve to reinforce one another through clear pathways that allow queries to move from one layer to another with little resistance.
  • Most of the nearly 2,500 students who responded said they consult Wikipedia, but when questioned more deeply, it became clear that they use it for, as one student put it, "pre-research." In other words, to gain context on a topic, to orient themselves, students start with Wikipedia. That makes perfect sense. Through user-generated efforts, Wikipedia is comprehensive, current, and far and away the most trustworthy Web resource of its kind. It is not the bottom layer of authority, nor the top, but in fact the highest layer without formal vetting. In this unique role, it therefore serves as an ideal bridge between the validated and unvalidated Web.
  • Most of the nearly 2,500 students who responded said they consult Wikipedia, but when questioned more deeply, it became clear that they use it for, as one student put it, "pre-research." In other words, to gain context on a topic, to orient themselves, students start with Wikipedia.
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  • My opinion of Wikipedia, like the tool itself, has radically evolved over time. Not only am I now supportive of Wikipedia, but I feel that it can play a vital role in formal educational settings
  • The key challenge for the scholarly community, in which I include academic publishers such as Oxford University Press, is to work actively with Wikipedia to strengthen its role in "pre-research." We need to build stronger links from its entries to more advanced resources that have been created and maintained by the academy.
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    C. Grathwohl argues that Wikipedia plays a vital middle layer of authority for students conducting pre-research; scholars, he says, should work to assure that links in Wikipeida lead students to more advanced research that's been validated by the academic community.
Beth Panitz

RDIconnect - 23 views

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    While typically developing children store... memories of experiences where they have met challenges and overcome obstacles, developmentally disabled children are more likely to retain memories in an isolated fashion, small pieces of information that do not provide tools or building blocks for future self-learning.
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    The RDI Program for ASD is a tailored set of objectives, extending from the Family Guided Participation Program and intended to target the core deficits of individuals with the diagnostic distinction, Autism Spectrum Disorder. Started less than a decade ago the RDI Program for ASD provides a remedial approach to this complex disorder.
Kevin Jarrett

Return to Sender -- THE Journal - 60 views

  • The upshot of this neglect, the report goes on to say, is to leave students unsuited for a work environment in which knowing core subject content can be secondary to being able to use technology to demonstrate the so- called 21st century skills that employers now demand:
  • increasingly value people who can use their knowledge to communicate, collaborate, analyze, create, innovate, and solve problems."
  • it's also about turning information into knowledge through Web searching and vetting. It's about developing effective multimedia presentations. It's about seamlessly using digital tools to collaborate and problem-solve.
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    Great article on the need for greater use of technology in instruction.
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    Send this to your principal, superintendent or school board member...
Carol Mortensen

Audio Expert - free online audio editor, converter and recorder - 3 views

  • WELCOME AudioExpert is a free and simple online audio editor, file converter and sound recorder. All the standard functionality of an audio editor provides you with an easy way to create a ringtone for your cell phone. You will find AudioExpert useful also as a powerful audio file converter which will allow you to modify the file format of your files, their bit rate, frequency, etc. If your computer is equipped with a camera and microphone, you can use AudioExpert to record your sounds. Main Features: Make use of it to analyse audio files and extract detailed information about the format. Cut or crop audio files in just a few clicks. Merge multiple files into a single audio track. Convert files between all of the popular audio formats (WAV, MP3, OGG, M4A, AAC, FLAC, AU, AMR, WMA, MKA). Record audio off a microphone or another sound device and save it directly to WAV, MP3, WMA, OGG, etc. Convert multiple files at once by means of batch processing.
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    Convert, Edit (make ringtones), and merge audio files easily and quickly.
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    Create free ringtone!
Karen Balnis

Another Look at the Weaknesses of Online Learning - Innovations - The Chronicle of High... - 86 views

shared by Karen Balnis on 28 Jul 11 - No Cached
  • have been lucky enough to have taught the full range of our freshman / sophmore undergraduate offerings as both an onsite and online instructor. While I have thoroughly enjoyed both formats - and very much so - I must admit that my experiences online have been *much* more positive than onsite instruction. Let me try and elucidate:1. While in the onsite classroom you have the opportunity to think on your feet and challenge and be experiential on your feet to reactions to the students who speak, in the online classroom, you are able to meet *every* class member and challenge their minds and ideas. The students who would normally be lost in a classroom of 35-40 are met and developed each day or week at their level and pushed to consider ideas they might not have considered. 2. I am able to reach the entire class through multimedia exhibits in each of the weekly units - journal articles, non-copyrighted film clips (and many from our university's purchased collection under an agreement for both onsite classroom and online classroom use), photography, art, patents, etc, that the students would not see - or would otherwise ignore - in an onsite classroom. We incorporate this information into our discussions and make it part of the larger whole of history.3. Each student and I - on the phone during office hours or in e-mail - discuss the creation of their term papers - and discuss midterm and final "anxiety" issues - and as they are used to the online format, and regular communication with me through the discussion boards, they respond much more readily than onsite students, whom I have found I have to pressure to talk to me. 4. I am able to accommodate students from around the country - and around the world. I have had enrolled in my class students from Japan, Indonesia, India, England - and many other countries. As a result, I have set up a *very* specific Skype address *only* for use of my students. They are required to set up the time and day with me ahead of time and I need to approve that request, but for them (and for some of my students scattered all over the state and US), the face time is invaluable in helping them feel "connected" - and I am more than happy to offer it. 5. As the software upgrades, the possibilities of what I can offer become more and more amazing, and the ease of use for both me - and for the students -  becomes astronomically better. Many have never known the software, so they don't notice it - but those who have taken online courses before cheer it on. Software does not achieve backwards. As very few of these issues are met by the onsite classroom, I am leaning more and more toward the online classroom as the better mode of instruction. Yes, there are times I *really* miss the onsite opportunities, but then I think of the above distinctions and realize that yes, I am where I should be, and virtually *ALL* the students are getting far more for their money than they would get in an onsite classroom. This is the wave of the future, and it holds such amazing promise. Already I think we are seeing clear and fruitful results, and if academics receive effective - and continuing - instruction and support from the very beginning, I cannot imagine why one would ever go back. The only reason I can think of *not* doing this is if the instructor has his or her *own* fear of computers. Beyond that - please, please jump on the bandwagon, swallow your fears, and learn how to do this with vigor. I don't think you will ever be sorry.PhD2BinUS
  • have been lucky enough to have taught the full range of our freshman / sophmore undergraduate offerings as both an onsite and online instructor. While I have thoroughly enjoyed both formats - and very much so - I must admit that my experiences online have been *much* more positive than onsite instruction. Let me try and elucidate:
  • While I have thoroughly enjoyed both formats - and very much so - I must admit that my experiences online have been *much* more positive than onsite instruction. Let me try and elucidate:
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    I am a graduate student at Sam Houston State University and before I started grad school I never had taken an online course before. My opinion then was that online courses were a joke and you couldn't learn from taking a course online. Now my opinion has done a complete 180. The teachers post numerous youtube videos and other helpful tools for each assignment so that anyone can successfully complete the assignment no matter what their technology skill level is. I do not see much difference between online and face-to-face now because of the way the instructors teach the courses.
Marc Hamlin

RTI Tools : Popular Response to Intervention Links - 13 views

shared by Marc Hamlin on 06 Oct 11 - No Cached
    • Marc Hamlin
       
      Some forms for Response To Intervention, but does anyone know of any online "Student Information System" that would document RTI
Samantha Fecich

WednesdayswithSam - 54 views

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    This wiki was created to be a resource for teachers, students, and parents to utilize in order to reinforce topics discussed in the classroom. This site is updated weekly as I obtain new information and resources. You will find many websites all separated by subject area. Learn and enjoy!
Rod White

Teaching and technology ~ presentations and resources for educators - 77 views

  • During the last six or so years I have created a number of 'how-to' documents and presentations for a variety of web based and related technologies. They are available from the various workshop web pages however I thought it might prove helpful to link to all the documents from a single page. Some of my workshop participants have referred to these documents as 'cheat sheets'.
  • ~ www.larkin.net.au ~ | Welcome | About Me | Technology | History | Galleries | Music | Blog | Presentation and workshop documents During the last six or so years I have created a number of 'how-to' documents and presentations for a variety of web based and related technologies. They are available from the various workshop web pages however I thought it might prove helpful to link to all the documents from a single page. Some of my workshop participants have referred to these documents as 'cheat sheets'. Web 2.0Read~Write Web Overview Information sharing
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    great clearinghouse of tutorials & handouts from presentations on many tools
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    online workshops
Jennifer Carey

Animaps - Create and view beautifully informative animated maps, for free! - 96 views

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    This online mapping tool lets you make an timed animated route and add photos, text and links at various positions along the journey. Feels a bit like a map-based PowerPoint and timeline. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/PSHE,+RE,+Citizenship,+Geography+&+Environmental
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    Animaps extends the My Maps feature of Google Maps by letting you create maps with markers that move, images and text that pop up on cue, and lines and shapes that change over time.
Suzanne Nelson

Get the Most out of Online Quizzes « classroom2point0 - 156 views

  • Unfortunately, life is not multiple choice; it’s a story problem. If we want to prepare our students for the demands of college and the real world, we cannot afford to whittle away their knowledge to a, b, c, d, or e: all of the above. At the same time, our time as teachers is at a premium and very few of us can afford to spend hours grading essay tests.
  • Fortunately, the powers that be are aligning in the classroom teacher’s favor, and there are two great tools you can use to reduce your grading time.
  • So what does QuizStar have that other sites don’t? My favorite feature of QuizStar by far is the “choose all that apply” option. You can create a
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  • Edmodo has finally created a quiz application!
  • Edmodo’s quiz feature allows you to create a quiz that mixes multiple choice, short answer, true/false, and fill in the blank.
  • But like QuizStar, Edmodo also analyzes results for you.
  • Rules for ALL Online Quizzes 1.  Never, ever, EVER copy a question from a textbook or a quiz you found online. I can almost guarantee that some enterprising student somewhere has copied the question and placed an answer key online.
  • Getting the Most out of Formative Assessments 1.  Set a time limit that will simultaneously allow students enough time to an
  • Getting the Most out of Open Note Formal Assessments 1.  If you are going to permit students to use notes and worksheets from class, design your questions so that they must apply the information they have at their fingertips. I
  • Getting the Most out of Closed Note Formal Assessments 1.  If no notes are permitted, reduce the amount of time students have to take the test. For multiple choice at the high school level, 45 seconds per question is fairly standard.
  • Experimentation and Feedback As you play around with online quizzes, ask your students to give you feedback. They’ll let you know what’s working and what isn’t.
Sue Bailey

Tech Talk for Teachers - 11 views

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    Blog with information about websites for classroom use, as well as tips and tricks for using your Smart board.
Jennie Snyder

Design Thinking in Schools: An Emerging Movement Building Creative Confidence in our Yo... - 46 views

  • design thinking is a set of tools, methods, and processes by which we develop new answers for challenges, big and small.
  • Through applying design thinking to challenges, we learn to define problems, understand needs and constraints, brainstorm innovative solutions, and seek and incorporate feedback about our ideas in order to continually make them better. The more we apply design thinking to the challenges we see, the deeper we strengthen the belief in our ability to generate creative ideas and make positive change happen in the world.
  • If you are interested in finding a program or resources to help integrate design thinking in your school, the directory offers a great set of organizations already listed for inspiration and new connections.
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  • We are living in an age of increased complexity, and are facing global challenges at an unprecedented scale. The nature of connectivity, interactivity, and information is changing at lightening speed. We need to enable a generation of leaders who believe they can make a difference in the world around them, because we need this generation to build new systems and rebuild declining ones. We need them to be great collaborators, great communicators, and great innovators.
  • As we help today’s students build their foundation of core academic knowledge and skills, we also need to look at the ways we are helping our youth build their confidence in their abilities to create.
Maureen Greenbaum

Education Week: Fighting the Enemies of Personalized Learning - 57 views

  • Most educators agree that the one-size-fits-all curriculum needs addressing
  • emergence of technology in education has certainly created a renewed interest in personalizing learning and providing teachers with the tools necessary for differentiating curriculum.
  • True personalization requires more than just looking at achievement levels and trying to compensate for deficiencies
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  • differentiation of content requires adding more depth and complexity to the curriculum rather than transmitting more or easier factual material.
  • achievement levels, information about student interests, learning styles, and preferred modes of expression allow us to make decisions about personalization that take multiple dimensions of the learner into account.
  • Respect for learning-style variations can be achieved by using instructional strategies such as simulations, Socratic inquiry, problem-based learning, dramatizations, and individual and small-group investigations of real problems. Expression-style preferences can be accommodated by giving students opportunities to communicate visually, graphically, artistically, and through animatronics, multimedia, and various community-service involvements.
  • Our obsession with content mastery and Skinner's behavioral theory of learning are slowly but surely giving way to an interest in personalization and differentiation.
  • While it is understandable that our early use of technology was mainly an adaptation of Gutenberg-online and a teaching-machine mentality of what learning is all about, we now have both the pedagogical rationale and technological capability to use the many dimensions of student characteristics that clearly and unequivocally result in higher engagement, enjoyment, and enthusiasm for learning.
Doug Saunders

Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus - 73 views

  • Octopus paxarbolis
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    A wildlife conservation site which aims to save the rare Pacific Northwest tree octopus from extinction... except it isn't. A great site to use that illustrates that not all information on the web can be trusted. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+%26+Web+Tools
mingyzhang

The 5 Keys to Educational Technology -- THE Journal - 166 views

    • mingyzhang
       
      This is one of the keys to successful application of ed tech.
  • 3. Facilitate the application of senses, memory, and cognition. It is in this component of my definition where I stepped the farthest away from the majority of existing definitions of the field.
  • What is educational technology? What are its purposes and goals, and how can it best be implemented? Hap Aziz, director of the School of Technology and Design at Rasmussen College, explores what he terms the "five key components" to approaching educational technology.
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  • Educational technology has a multi-faceted nature comprising a cyclical process, an arsenal of tools (both physical and conceptual), and a multiple-node relationship between learners and facilitators of instruction, as well as between learners themselves.
  • 4. Enhance teaching practices. Learning in our formalized education context does not exist in a vacuum; that is, we do not simply provide learners with access to information and resources with the expectation that they will learn through discovery.
Amy Roediger

Class Charts - seating plans and behavior management - 159 views

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    This is a superb classroom management tool where you can track the behaviour of your class and keep them motivated. Simply click on the child and assign them a positive or negative behaviour point. You can also track their reading and spelling ages and make your own customised data set. Use this information to help you arrange the children within your class. You can have multiple classes on your teacher's account and you can share data with colleagues using different accounts. The data is encrypted to ensure data security. The system works on the majority of web enabled devices. http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Classroom+Management+%26+Rewards
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    With Class Charts you get data rich seating charts and streamlined behaviour management. You can even collaborate with other teachers and work as a team to tackle behaviour.
Matt Renwick

It's Not the Assessment - It's How You Use It | Assessment in Perspective - 78 views

  • We acknowledge that there is so much that is out of our control right now when it comes to assessment, but we believe we need to also remember what we can control.
  • These assessments can help a teacher determine the type of small group and whole class instruction that needs to be done to support her readers in using strategies effectively and flexibly. This type of analysis is typically not required — only the list of levels needs to be turned in.
  • When we simply look at these students based on the numerical score they achieve on these assessments, we lose so much data. Knowing a student or group of students did not reach a benchmark helps us determine that these kids need support, but it does not tell us the type of support they need.
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  • Assessing students counts as a conference!
  • Another way to translate assessments into day-to-day teaching is to use your conferring notebook while you are doing your required assessments.
  • It is so helpful to take a little the extra time after each assessment to think about what you learned, and how you can use that data tomorrow to lift the quality of your instruction.
  • we believe that what is most important is that you can assess the full profile of a reader and you use the assessment data to inform your teaching
  • Sometimes it is better to stay the course with the tools we have and understand it is the best decision for our district at this point in time.
    • Matt Renwick
       
      student portfolios
  • This work is messy and rarely precise.
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