Holly Clark, aka EdTechDiva, provides some great points about how to help improve search skills for students AND teachers. There are other skills, as well, but these are a good start. Google also has resources for building these important skills.

"Coding In The Classroom: 10 Tools Students Can Use To Design Apps & Video Games" gives some of the best sites where students can learn code for design work. This is a must skill for students who have an interest in computer programming and developing games/apps.

Award-winning educational futurist David Thornburg discusses classroom design and four learning models he has written about extensively in his book, "From the Campfire to the Holodeck: Creating Engaging and Powerful 21st Century Learning Environments" Is your classroom designed primarily for the traditional lecture? For using technology to do the same old things better than differently? Give out too much information vs. using more open-ended approaches? Transform the way information is learned and used? This article helped me to reflect on the way I encourage the use of technology and how to make its use an experience more reflective of what is presented in the CCSS and 21st century learning. What is your response to the article? Agree, disagree? What model(s) do you see yourself using? What movement would you like to make in your approach?

"Robotics CEO: 12-Year-Old Whiz As Smart As Ph.Ds" - curiousity fuels this students creativity and passion. Check it out.

Make your password up to 1,500 less likely to be hacked with this simple trick.

I like the reflective process this teacher is using to improve her teaching literacy to her students. The methods she is practicing and refining are in contrast to the "one and done" reading approach she mentions students practicing outside of class. A favorite quote in the reflection: "In my class we explore the why--the story behind history. Pace carefully and read closely, and students will discover the why--especially when they can discuss the questions they've had time to think about." Instead of the teacher "teaching" content, the students explore that content and find meaning for themselves that is relevant and connective to other learning experiences.

I like how the site has a set of short videos demonstrating each "teacher move" to support learning using "Accountable I think these would be helpful in training/professional development, as well. The fact that these "moves" were observed in effective classrooms (i.e. research-based) is good to know.

This site is toolbox with tools for Assistive Technology. View the Google Presentation and learn more about how to use Google Chrome tools to provide greater access for students with disabilities.

Catlin Tucker, Honors English teacher, shares: "The SAMR model (substitution, augmentation, modification and redefinition) explores the impact of integrating technology on both teaching and learning. It attempts to outline a progression that educators follow in their journey towards redefining teaching and learning with technology. I've used this model as a guide to identify where a particular lesson or activity falls on the spectrum of technology integration, but it does not  reflect the teacher's evolution." Read the rest of her post.

"To SAMR or not to SAMR" - a response to Krista Moroder's take on SAMR & TPACK.

Several more resources on the SAMR model of tech. integration.

Krista Moroder, Director of Learning & Instructional Tech. (former teacher) provides some insight into these two tech. integration frameworks and their strengths & difficulties. "I'm going to preface this post by saying that I think both TPACK and SAMR are incredibly useful frameworks- and I use them a lot in my work with education technology. While I don't want to completely discount either framework in this post, I do want to start a discussion- and explain why I am currently not finding them completely effective in my work with teachers. Worth the read....

"This is a quick introduction to the SAMR Model, developed by Dr. Ruben Puentedura. It is not meant to be an in-depth view of the model, but is an introduction to a model for tech. integration in the classroom. For more information, visit http://hippasus.com/"

"Free Learning Tools betaTest your knowledge, improve your scores and leverage our free testing system. Detailed Results and Performance Statistics! Individual Question Analysis & Explanations Percentile Rankings Score v. Time Distribution Time Spent Per Question"

Alice Keeler, MS. Ed/Google Certified teacher/researcher & part of my PLN, provides a clear explanation of Playsheets (Gamification activities like Quia) to foster learning and formative assessment.

Check out the activities on this site, which give students immediate feedback. I looked at the math activities for Algebra/Geometry. Students can test their understanding of concepts quickly using this platform. Check it out!

"ames are infiltrating every aspect of daily life - and everyone's now a gamer, in one form or another. Early-on "gamification" involved adding simple game mechanics like points, badges and leaderboards to websites and apps. But that's not what makes games truly compelling. Good games take players on a journey, giving them something to learn, master and share. Gamification 2.0 is about creating game-like digital services that shape real-world behavior and deliver deep value to players, -- using a blend of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. In this talk, we'll do a teardown of the biggest and most influential social gaming services, and distill those lessons into these Seven Core Concepts for Smart Gamification. "

Thomas Guskey, noted researcher/writer on grading/grade reporting, uploaded his presentation and some of his writing for a conference. Great topic for us to review as we look at the role of grading/grade reporting in teaching/learning and the CCSS.

Especially with the CCSS, teachers/admin. need to take a look at how grading reflects assessment practices. What do the grades you give really REFLECT about what students CAN DO and know? The table comes from the work of Tom Guskey, a college professor who has done extensive research and writing on grading. (see http://goo.gl/DAHyH)

Kathy Cassidy, first grade teacher, received a challenging comment on her blog, regarding her classroom blog and protecting her students. She shares masterfully, and with kindness, to the comment. Want a rationale for classroom blogging? Find some of that in her reply.