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They may look like jumbled and messy flowcharts for the insane, but mind maps are actually extremely useful and perfect tools for brainstorming. You essentially take a flow of ideas and translate them into interconnected webs designed to help clarify your thinking (or mind, as it were). I love mind maps and am always impressed at the amount of care that goes into the creation of one. They truly resemble the crazy way our brains work as we link together somewhat illogical thoughts to form a cohesive idea. In other words, these following mind maps are actually how are brains all work whether you like it or not. There are thousands of mind maps out there and even some snazzy tools to help you make your own. The following maps are some of my favorites and hopefully won't scare you too much. Hopefully they'll inspire and educate!

"FlipQuiz™ provides educators with a quick way to create your own gameshow-style boards for test reviews in the classroom. Traditionally, these are created tediously, using poster board, chalkboards, PowerPoint™ or dry-erase markers on overhead slides. The review questions themselves are usually written on a separate sheet of paper. With FlipQuiz™, questions are displayed on-screen and boards are saved for later use. Combined with a beautiful board, students are more likely to be interested and stay engaged with the test review process."

A common question that we get with regard to technology projects is "how do I grade it?" The 21st-century communication and collaboration skills which are used with most technology based projects are, in many ways, real-world problem-solving skills. The standard, multiple-choice type tests simply are not going to be able to assess students' learning. Instead of thinking of the assessment itself as the measurement, we are going to need to examine our students' performances of understanding. In other words, the assessment is the tool through which we can gauge how much our students have learned.

I love the idea of Twitter etiquette. Twitter just like any other social networking site has its own rules and guidelines that any new member has to accept before opening their account. But there are also other rules that are formed by force of actual use and though they are not as binding as the written ones but they are just as much important. As teachers and educators, the purpose behind using Twitter is primarily to connect with other teachers, learn from their teaching experiences and share with them ours.In doing so we build a community of people that we interact with and for this interaction to be effective we need to abide by Twitter code of ethics. Corey Talked about 11 Twitter etiquettes and based on his list I made the graphic below. Enjoy"

About this MoodleMeet  The focus of this moodlemeet is investigating what current research offers teachers and others to develop effective online courses. Among the topics we will discuss are: defining what quality comprises in (K12) online learning what are students' expectations of online learning what can teachers do to with moodle tools to promote quality in their virtual classrooms The discussions are aimed primarily at course developer/teachers; however, there are a number of practices that DL administrators ought to be doing to support their teachers and promote instructional leadership.

"We hear a lot about what things are popular in terms of technology, the cool new devices that are coming out, and trends that are happening with classroom technology integration. But just because something is a trend (or even a requirement) doesn't that it is popular or liked. It doesn't mean you won't hear people grumbling about it. Often times, trends become trends because a lot of people like them, but in the case of education, trends can happen easily in the following scenario: administrators like the idea and think it is great, and teachers have to implement said idea regardless of if it is a great fit with their classroom and students. So what common education technology trends are really supported and loved by teachers, and which ones make them want to bang their heads on their chalkboards/desks/smartboards/laptops? The handy infographic below brings together data from European and North American teachers to get their points of view on the subject"

Are you getting measurable, timely, benefits from your IT investment? Are your IT resources fully and effectively deployed? Are your information resources well managed? Are you driving your IT strategy, or is it driving you? This web, known as the "Information Management Body of Knowledge", is a collection of ideas and tools intended to assist anyone who is concerned to get the best out of their investment in information technology and the information systems that make it work. It emerged from research work undertaken in a partnership between the University of the Western Cape, and Cape Peninsula University of Techology (previously the Cape Technikon), both located in Cape Town, South Africa. It has been used in the context of business, public administration and community informatics, and the IMBOK has been adopted as a standard course text in South Africa, Europe and North America.

For teachers and trainers to fulfil their instructional role most effectively, their teaching methods must be grounded in educational learning theory. Understanding the learning process is a key element of educational learning theory and provides a framework for teachers and trainers to plan, create and deliver effective lessons, and assess each student's learning. In this free online education course, you will be introduced to the learning process. The course begins by differentiating between teaching and learning, and by describing teachers' and trainers' perspectives on learning. The course provides details about two major learning theories: behaviourism and constructivism. Within the section on Behaviourism, operant conditioning and its implications for teaching are examined in detail. The section on Constructivism compares and contrasts two subtypes of constructivism: psychological constructivism and social constructivism. Finally, the implications of constructivism for teaching are discussed using two practical strategies. This free online education course will be of great interest to professionals in the education sector who would like a greater knowledge and understanding of the learning process that will enhance their teaching and training, and to all students who are interested in the process of how we learn. Introduction to the Learning Process for Teachers and Trainers is originally from and published by Global Text Project and has a duration of 2-3 Hours for the average learner.

In 2013, you don't need to find a radio to listen in on quality broadcast programming. A laptop, MP3 player, tablet, or even a smartphone will work just as well. Even better, there is a wealth of content out there that's both educational and entertaining, including some pretty amazing shows on scientific topics that are equally interesting to the layman and the professional. Whether you're just getting into listening to science podcasts or are looking for a few new shows to add to your weekly collection, we've highlighted what we think are some of the best science podcasts out there right now. They're informative, compelling, and even, at times, pretty darn funny, so make sure to check out one, two, or even all of these great science programs the next time you're looking for a little edutainment.

"Recently, I've been noticing that a lot of instructors are under the impression that they are successfully integrating technology, when in fact they are simply using technology. Although this might seem to some as just semantics, in my opinion there is a huge difference between the two - a difference that can be seen in the impact the technology usage has on student learning."

"Reusing existing Open Educational Resources (OER) can save significant time and effort. The OPEN partners recommend TAACCCT grantees invest up-front time finding OER to reuse rather than starting development of new educational resources right away. A significant benefit of OER is that they provide source material to build your development efforts around. No need to invest development effort in creating something that already exists. OER come in a wide variety of types. Many educators are simply looking for individual media elements to use within their courses, such as photos, graphics, videos, and audio, that are openly licensed in a way that freely permits education use. The page below will help you find openly licensed media elements to use within your courses. To jump directly to what you are searching for use these links:"

"There are a couple dozen ways to 'use' technology in education. There are also a couple dozen ways to integrate technology in education. Think those two things are the same? Think that throwing a few iPads and a few Edudemic blog posts into a classroom is the best way to launch a 1:1 initiative? In case you couldn't guess, it's not. "

"There is a remarkable difference between using and interesting technology in education. Several teachers who think that they are integrating technology into their curriculum are simply using it because they still haven't questioned and identified the reasons behind using technology. Integrating technology is different  and as Kip Rogers writes in his wonderful book "Mobile Learning Devices ", I've also experienced schools and classrooms where: True integration of technology happens ... where technology is accessible and available for activities as they are initiated. True integration of technology happens when form supports function when the tools support the goals of the curriculum and assist students in reaching their instructional goals. It is not about technology, it is about what you can do with this technology that matters."

"One of the main conclusions to emerge from both the Glasgow and Manchester events was that all of us, as learning professionals, need to be able to at least appreciate the potential of technology to transform the learning experience. Most teachers use some technology in the classroom, but how many use it beyond the walls of the classroom? We are not talking about teachers taking technology home for personal use (that should be something most are doing anyway). We are instead alluding to the potential of technology to transcend the boundaries, roles and philosophies of traditional education, and to extend, enrich and enliven learning for all, from the very young, through to lifelong learners."

"The list of mind blowing videos covering the topic of 21st century education and learning is growing bigger and bigger. There are actually some clips that I think every teacher should watch if not twice then at least once. These videos are not only an inestimable source of inspiration but are also a good resource packed full of great ideas on where education is right now. I know not all of you have the chance to get your hands over these videos because of your busy teaching schedules but as an educational blogger I do come across several of these videos and whenever time permits I curate lists to share with you. "

Modern public speakers and college lecturers are sometimes bedeviled by comments and chatter posted on Twitter while they are speaking. Now speakers can engage in the conversation even while they are standing at the podium with a new, free iPad app called Backdraft.

Too often the conversation surrounding the flipped classroom focuses on the videos- creating them, hosting them, and assessing student understanding of the content via simple questions or summary assignments. I wish the conversation focused more on what actually happens in a flipped classroom. If we move lecture or the transfer of knowledge online to create time and space in the physical classroom, how are we using that time to improve learning for students? What is our role as the teacher in the flipped classroom? How are we maximizing the potential of the group when students are together to design collaborative, creative, student-centered activities and assignments? This is the part I want to hear more about!

"Bring your own device" (BYOD) initiatives are relatively new in education, cropping up in the last few years as schools-under tight budget constraints-seek ways to leverage student-owned devices for learning. Supporters of the BYOD movement say students are instantly more attentive and better behaved when they are encouraged to use their own mobile devices in the classroom, but educators face a number of challenges in making BYOD work in their schools.

Technology and education are pretty intertwined these days and nearly every teacher has a few favorite tech tools that make doing his or her job and connecting with students a little bit easier and more fun for all involved. Yet as with anything related to technology, new tools are hitting the market constantly and older ones rising to prominence, broadening their scope, or just adding new features that make them better matches for education, which can make it hard to keep up with the newest and most useful tools even for the most tech-savvy teachers. Here, we've compiled a list of some of the tech tools, including some that are becoming increasingly popular and widely used, that should be part of any teacher's tech tool arsenal this year, whether for their own personal use or as educational aids in the classroom.

"Whether you're studying online or at a traditional college, there's no question that school is expensive.  But not everything has to cost an arm and a leg.  There are plenty of free distance education resources out there for cash-strapped students-if you know where to look.  Here are 135 free ways to enhance your education online. Free Classes Many of these schools and sites offer a large number of free courses and courseware.  These links to individual classes represent only a small sampling of what they have to offer, and the sites are worth exploring further."