Group items tagged

"At my school it has become time to formally institute a new curriculum structure that best suits the needs of our 21st century students. But which pedagogical approach do we go with? Or rather, should the question be, which acronym do we go with? There's IBL or EBL (Inquiry Based Learning or Enquiry Based Learning, depending on which brand of English you prefer), CBL (Challenge Based Learning), and an awful lot of PBLs (including Project Based, Product Based, Problem Based, Play Based, Passion Based and Process Based Learning!)."

"Project-based learning is centered on the learner and affords learners the opportunity for in-depth investigations of worthy topics. The learners are more autonomous as they construct personally-meaningful artifacts that are representations of their learning. This article examines the theoretical foundations of project-based learning, particularly constructivism and constructionism, and notes the similarities and differences among implementations, including project-based science (Blulmenfeld et al., 1991), disciplined inquiry (Levstik & Barton, 2001) and WebQuests (Dodge, 1995). In addition, an anatomy of a model case will be considered using a WebQuest example developed by the author, describing seven characteristics common among the various implementations of project-based learning. Finally, practical advice and recommendations for project-based learning are discussed, including beginning slowly with the implementation, teaching students to negotiate cooperative/collaborative groups and establishing multiple forms of performance assessments."

From @coolcatteacher "Is Game-Based Learning the Same as Gamification? Not exactly. Gamification is "applying typical elements of game playing (e.g., point scoring, competition with others, rules of play) to other areas of activity." Great classrooms often use both. Every day in my classroom, I'm using the essentials: gamification elements, reward systems, and game-based learning. I've already covered 5 Ways to Design Effective Rewards for Game-Based Learning. Let's learn how to pick the games."

"As a learning strategy, inquiry-based learning is all about learners constructing their own understanding and knowledge through asking questions. Inquiry-based learning is essentially student-centered. It starts with posing questions and directly involves students in challenging hands-on activities that drive students to ask more questions and explore different learning paths. This post has assembled a collection of some useful web tools and apps that support the ethos of inquiry-based learning.  Using these tools will enable students to engage in a wide range of learning tasks that are all driven by a sense of inquiry and questioning."

To advance the mission of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (www.imsa.edu) , the Academy established the PBLNetwork in 1992. IMSA's PBLNetwork engages in PBL professional development, research, information exchange, curriculum development and networking in K-16 educational settings. The goals of IMSA's PBLNetwork are: To mentor educators in all disciplines as they design and develop effective problem-based learning (PBL) materials and become skillful coaches in K-16 classrooms and other educational settings. To explore problem-based learning (PBL) strategies as the context in which knowledge is acquired, ethical decision-making is nurtured, and problem-solving skills are developed with learners of all abilities. To connect problem-based learning (PBL) educators through numerous networking options designed to meet a variety of needs.

"No one doubts that the brain is central to education, so the myriad products out there claiming to be based on research in neuroscience can look tempting." A good article on the facts and myths around brain based products and education.

"Handheld computers are everywhere. From mobile phones to handheld games, it's a very familiar sight to see people of all ages gazing into screens that they can hold. Schools are discovering that handhelds like iPod touch and iPad make great learning tools. In fact, handhelds can play a big part in project based learning. Not only do projects motivate students because they use exciting handheld technology, but they also lend themselves to student voice and choice. Watch or read below to be inspired to bring project based learning into your classroom, learn strategies for creating effective driving questions, and see how an iOS handheld can play a role in the the planning, research/investigation, and presentation of projects."

"The Royal Children's Hospital provides a unique environment for student learning. The Education Institute has started the new year with a fantastic program of project-based learning to engage students in meaningful learning experiences with real world relevance."

"The Buck Institute for Education commissioned the cutting-edge advertising agency, Common Craft, to create a short animated video that explains in clear language the essential elements of Project Based Learning (PBL). This simple video makes the essential elements of PBL come alive and brings to light the 21st Century skills and competencies (collaboration, communication, critical thinking) that will enable K-12 students to be college and work-ready as well as effective members of their communities."

"Game-Based Learning vs. Traditional Classroom Game Play"

"Textivate allows you to automatically generate a range of interactive browser-based activities based on any text of up to 500 words."

Tynker is a new computing platform designed specifically to teach children computational learning and programming skills in a fun and imaginative way. Tynker is inspired by Scratch from MIT. It is a completely browser-based implementation written using Open Web standards such as Javascript, HTML5, CSS3 and does not use Flash.

Animate drawings,create music, build ages, craft ebooks. Browser-based programming designed to teach computational thinking.  Use for science, maths etc.  Lesson plans available.

"Google Form is getting better and better, with every new update Google adds new awesome services. Now users can easily add images to their forms. Until a couple of days ago , you can only create text-based forms but now with a single click you can embed images right into the content of your form. This is particularly useful for teachers creating image-based quizzes and surveys."

How is your sense of direction? Would you be able to find your way out of a tight situation under pressure? Try your luck while you're being pursued here! Pursued is a new bite-sized web-based game by Nemesys Games! We've created an integrated experience with Google Maps to give players an exploration-based thrill ride. "You've been taken without warning and emerge in an unknown place. A friend is trying to help you escape when you call, but you must use your surroundings to figure out where you are before they can pick you up! It's a race against time as you're being pursued by your captors!" Gameplay includes 15 tailored levels and after completion, community levels are also available to create and play for everyone!

"Based on final, release-to-manufacturing (RTM) software, this book introduces new features and capabilities, with scenario-based insights demonstrating how to plan for, implement, and maintain Windows 8 in an enterprise environment"

via @techjokedaily

Appitic has collated this set of apps which can be used in Challenge Based Learning. The apps are listed according to the CBL stages

"The web is for everyone so, in essence, this web literacies paper is also for everyone. It is, however, likely to be of particular use and value to educators and academics looking for a reference point and framework to help develop web literacies in themselves and others. When we mention 'we' in this white paper we're talking about not only about Mozilla, but the community of people who believe in Connected Learning, and who believe in learning through making and doing. We're people who believe in the practical application of knowledge through project-based and interest-based learning."

FORGET about postcodes and street numbers. A new mapping system called 'what3words' can find any searchable spot on the globe with a three-word code. The London-based start-up has divided Earth into 57 trillion squares, each of them three square metres large. Every individual square has been assigned a unique three-word code. With a simple, map-based search, you can pinpoint any location and find its code in a matter of seconds. It sure beats writing down a full address.