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"Big History Project" is an online course that embraces a multi-disciplinary approach to learning. It is a great resource for teachers. The website includes text, videos, photo galleries and assessments for five main topics: 1)The universe 2)Our solar system and earth 3)Life 4)Humans 5). The future. Teachers can have their students use the site as part of their curriculum.

"Big History Project" is a free course designed to target the common core standards we are trying to teach students today. The five main topics are broken down into 'thresholds' where students can enter, learn via text, videos, photoss, and assessments, and even earn badges as they complete tasks.

This post talks about integrating relevant information into the use of technology in a classroom. This means going beyond teaching the kids how to use the device and download apps but applying technology to specific areas of learning. This includes collaborating with the teachers of certain subjects and creating google docs to be able to openly see students progress as well as create ideas. They also talk about the SAMR model and i'll post that word for word because its an important model that was adopted by the school in the article for this idea. Substitution: Technology acts as a direct tool substitute, with no functional change. Augmentation: Technology acts as a direct tool substitute, with functional improvement. Modification: Technology allows for significant task redesign. Redefinition: Technology allows for the creation of new tasks, previously inconceivable.

This article is great for teachers to take a look at because it gives a list of the top educational Chrome Extensions for 2015. The apps that they list have been teacher tested and approved. Each of the apps listed offer a variety of in-class opportunities for teachers to use. 

This relates to our class because its connecting students with technology while saving them money As we all know, Graphing Calculators were also around the same price as a college textbook. But in this innovative age of technology that we are living in, why are we still paying well over $100 for the same piece of equipment? Desmos is a free Google extension that can replace the graphing calculator all together. It preforms all of the same functions while giving a way better look to your graphs. Your curved graphs will actually look curvy!

Teacher explains how playing Minecraft with her class has benefitted students. The student's scores increased significantly in math and English. She explained a cultural shift that took place, students loving the work and showing off their academic skills. The academic growth seen by students using Minecraft makes me want to implement this in my future classes!

This is a very interesting article. Every student in my class play this game. Most of my students play the creative mode. It is amazing to watch these kids build intricate maps that display knowledgeable concentration. I find myself watching the kids over their shoulders on break for several minutes and being astonished of the problem solving techniques they use to think their specified maps. On top of that, it is a very hard game to play. I never can complete a regular level. I feel like a dinosaur picking up their tablet and try to play this game. I remember trying to play my dad in the early Madden games growing up. I feel like the parent picking up the controller and having no idea what to do. Even though the concept is so simple. There are several learning abilities to apply for the game.

Teacher explains how playing Minecraft with her class has benefitted students. The student's scores increased significantly in math and English. She explained a cultural shift that took place, students loving the work and showing off their academic skills. The academic growth seen by students using Minecraft makes me want to implement this in my future classes!

This extension is also available as an app for either iphone or android. It is wonderful for people (busy students) always on the run. It can easily organize lists and reminders for you. When you use it as an extension you can click on the extension and quick view all of your tasks. It can sync your tasks and lists to your other device. You can add reminders, red flags, and prioritize your information, etc.. In addition, you can voice your requests into the app and organize that request.

Shared with INTC 2610

A Chrome extension called Honey can automatically find coupon codes to apply during your online checkouts. Honey, a Chrome extension which can do the coupon-hunting for you. Honey adds a "Find savings" button to many prominent sites which you can use at checkout. I love this extension because I love saving money!

Thank you for sharing this cool extension. I'm always scrambling in line to find coupons on my iphone, now with this quick, easy, and efficient tool, I can leave the scrambling to Honey. We all love another way to save money!

Oh My Word! can help students create their own personal dictionary online. It is a chrome extension that lets users select words they find online, and define the words to be saved into a personal dictionary. This could be a great tool for students of any age, and for either short- or long-term projects. Even for personal use, the tool looks like a great way to expand your vocabulary!

Cool. This would be great for students doing research when dealing with unknown or new words that may pop up in their studies more than once. Great way to refer back easily and get a better understanding for the words.

exciting ideas that utilize technology in the classroom.

In modern classroom settings, ipads are more and more prevalence, along with the apps that go with them. As lessons and lesson plans change, there is always a constant need to download and peruse new apps for the various lessons a teacher may draw upon. Searching for apps, when added to all of the other preparation requirements can be highly cumbersome. One way this article can assist the app search is by providing a healthy source of sites who give reviews and suggestions on what apps are popular, which apps are useful, and which apps are not. Having a site that sorts and reviews apps can save hours when searching itunes for the next new app to integrate into the lesson plan.

What if we gave younger students more credit instead of just assuming they don't know what you're trying to teach them? Especially with technology since it is such a huge part of our world now.

This article talks about how to use technology to rediscover traditional ways of learning. The main points are rediscovering oral traditions, rediscovering gestures, dance, and the body, and rediscovering visual learning.

I enjoyed reading this article because it provides some great information on how students can use mobile devices to enhance their own learning. With mobile devices, students can find their own answers and learn at their own pace. The classroom can become more student-centered. The students are no longer tied to desks while the teacher stands in the front lecturing. The students can work closely in groups throughout the classroom collaborating on projects. The teacher can walk around the classroom to answer questions, assist students, and remediate, if needed. The students are more engaged and, therefore, retain more information. The teacher will simply draft a technology blueprint that follows the school's lesson plan directive. The concept seems freeing for everyone.

As time goes on we will see less and less paper in the classroom. OneNote is a digital three-ring binder. This program is used as a way of interaction between teachers and students. OneNote has three different sections which are collaboration space, content library and the student's private space. Taking advantage of the new technological advances is good because the more you know of a program, the more efficient you will be able to be.

This article introduces the idea of classrooms going completely paperless. The idea behind going paperless is amazing. The impact that it would have on the environment and on student's learning abilities is something that needs to happen. By using Microsoft's OneNote, teachers can connect with students in a different way. In many ways our INTC class is paperless already. 

Aside from jobs we should be teaching children computer science because it will them the thinking skills that will help them become proactive learners and citizens. Technology is part of every day life and it is so important, shouldn't we find the time in the school day for this?

Replace rows of desks and lectures at your school with active learning spaces where students are collaborative, classrooms are comfortable and teachers inspire creativity and deep content knowledge. Also, take the lesson outside. Technology is portable so take advantage of it. Incorporate technology into the lesson and then bring it outside for a different environment of learning that students will be really excited about!

This insightful article written by Bill Smoot stresses the importance of the ubiquity of digital devices impeding the growth of the individual. In today's day and age we are all hyper aware of society's dependence on media. This realization led educator Bill Smoot to assign his students the challenge to spend 48 hours, from 7:00 p.m. Friday to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, without electronic media. The result, "by their own admission, their soulfulness and their capacity for human connection are limited by their media-obsessed way of life." I think these findings and this article as a whole prove very helpful to our class, as although the power technology lends to us is undeniable, it has slowly disconnected us from numerous realities and relationships in our own lives. We soon will have to face this specific issue within our own classrooms. I chose this particular article because I believe we need to remain aware that we are going to be teaching a different generation, one that lives and dies by their digital devices. As educators we need to be prepared to react to this aversion to real life experience and connection. We need to strike a balance for our students so that they realize that technology is provided to enhance our lives, not consume it.

This article peaked my interest: Within the next ten years, de Blasio is requiring all of the city's public schools to offer computer science for all students.These courses will only be offered as electives. The main concern for this is finding enough teachers that are properly trained and training others. Computer science jobs are among the fastest growing. They are also the some of the highest paying jobs.  Computer sciences are primarily dominated by white or Asian males. With these courses being available to all students in elementary schools, hopefully the number of minorities and girls who will be interested will increase.

This article calls into question finding a balance between technology and educators in a classroom. It describes a need to find a way for technology to enhance teachers, not replace them. This relates to our class because as we are learning to use new technologies, we must also learn how to effectively incorporate them into a classroom in a way that augments what we are teaching to students.

I found this article most interesting because it talked about how some school districts are now getting funding that is allowing their students to have their own personal computer that can be used for school work. It allows them to personalize and download things on to their own computer.