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"25 Awesome Virtual Learning Experiences Online posted by Mark on June 18th, 2009 Virtual Learning Experiences OnlineJust because you're online doesn't mean that you can't experience the world first-hand - or as close to first-hand as possible. Here are websites that feature virtual learning experiences, exposing online visitors to everything from history to geography, astronomy to anatomy, literature to government."

"Being connected changes learning. When those connections are global, the experience of knowledge development is dramatically altered as well. Over the past four years, a growing number of educators have started experimenting with the teaching and learning process in order to answer critical questions: "How does learning change when formal boundaries are reduced? What is the future of learning? What role with educators play in this future? What types of institutions does society need to respond to hyper-growth of knowledge and rapid dissemination of information? How do the roles of learners and educators change"

Lisa Nielsen is an educational administrator and permanently certified teacher with more than a decade's worth of experience working in educational innovation at the city, state, and national level. Working as an innovative educator in New York City, Ms. Nielsen was honored as Teacher of the Year and was her district's nominee for Technology Educator of the year. Ms. Nielsen has worked in various capacities in educational innovation at the NYC Department of Education and Teachers College, Columbia University including as manager of instructional technology professional development, literacy coach, instructional technology coach, teacher, librarian, and staff developer. She currently serves as Technology Innovation Manager for the NYC Department of Education. Ms. Nielsen is a Google Certified Teacher, International Edublogger, International EduTwitter, and creator of The Innovative Educator blog, website, learning network, and wiki. In addition to her blog (http://TheInnovativeEducator.blogspot.com), her work is published in "Learning and Leading," and "Tech & Learning," magazine as well as the following online media Tech & Learning, ISTE Connects, Ed Reformer, and The Huffington Post. An outspoken and passionate advocate of innovative education Ms. Nielsen is also covered by local and national media for her views on "Passion (not data) Driven Learning," "Thinking Outside the Ban" and determining ways to harness the power of technology for instruction and providing a voice to educators and students. Her first book "Teaching Generation Text" is set for a fall 2011 release.

An Immersive Event for Principals and Teachers The Apple Summer Learning Institute 2010 gives principals and teachers hands-on opportunities to experience how technology is helping transform learning. Led by members of the Apple Professional Development team, each principal and teacher will have the opportunity to experience the latest Apple learning tools - MacBook, iPad, and iPod touch - first hand, for the duration of the event. Over the course of two days, educators will discover how Apple products can help engage today's learners, enrich core curriculum, and build student competency like never before.

Apps Taskonomy: Digging Deeper into the Application of Apps he iPad (or iPod touch or iPhone) with its apps opens many new opportunities for learning. At the same time, it offers a slightly different wrapper for older learning opportunities. Both can be worthwhile, but it would be a shame if teachers missed the former for the latter. And, if past experience and research is any indication, educators are much more likely to co-opt the new technology to accomplish the status quo. This activity is designed to help teachers think through both opportunities and to categorize those apps that lend themselves to either or both. Teachers will start by exploring a variety of apps, some that lend themselves to learning content such as math facts or spelling words and others that can be used in open ended content creation such as storytelling or photography. Then, teachers will examine a set of lessons that use these apps. Finally, teachers will use a "taxonomy" such as Bloom's Taxonomy, SAMR, LoTi, ETaP, Prensky, etc. and attempt to classify/categorize where the apps fall. Most likely teachers will need to contextualize the app to a particular use/activity. Ideally, teachers will realize that in most cases it is not the app itself, but the use that detrmines where it falls and that the apps belong in multiple places.

In this clip, educators describe problem-based learning as a way for students to use technology, work together in groups, and learn to use unique tools. For example, students in the clip use handheld gaming systems to play word games. Several educators explain the many benefits to approaching teaching in this manner, such as helping students use technology in a fun way that stimulates the brain and enhances the learning experience.

"10 BYOD Classroom Experiments (and What We've Learned From Them So Far)"

ThingLink interactive images help students develop 21st century skills and enrich their enthusiasm for learning. Teachers can use ThingLink images as interactive learning modules (ILMs) that activate and inspire students with creative and effective learning experiences.

The Mobile Learning Institute's film series "A 21st Century Education" profiles individuals who embrace and defend fresh approaches to learning and who confront the urgent social challenges that are part of a 21st century experience. "A 21st Century Education" compiles, in short film format, the best ideas around school reform. The series is meant to start, extend, or nudge the conversation about how to make change in education happen.

VoiceThread Mobile for Apple® iDevices VoiceThread bridges the gap between real-time discussions and static multi-media slideshows, making it the platform for on-demand teaching, learning, training, and collaborating. We are working with the lofty goal of true accessibility so that any "door" used to access VoiceThread is equally effective for your means of participation. "We want to serve the needs of a person with dyslexia or ADHD, an outdoor classroom with mobile devices, a user in the developing world without high-speed internet, a kindergartner, or an elderly lifelong learner." (Read more) With that goal in mind, we'll be releasing a Mobile App this fall for the iPad®/iPhone®/iPod touch® that will provide the same experience of creating and collaborating around your content on your Mobile device that you would experience in the web-based application... and we're pretty excited about that! Take a look, and tell us what you think.

"Welcome to the world of the iPad! I hope that you, like I have, will find this amazing device transforming in your approach to the utilization of technology for teaching and learning. Hopefully, we will soon be saying goodbye to the fifty pound backpacks our students carry around, and all of their textbooks and learning resources will be available on this one, small device! Whether you are currently using iPads in your school or for yourself...or if you are just beginning to explore the possibilities, I hope you will find resources here to benefit you in your journey. Enjoy this site, share the information with others, and feel free to contact me with any questions or to share your experiences! Below are some of my "musings" as I reflect on where we currently are in our journey with the utilization of technology with our students. Enjoy!"

"Learning new vocabulary can be quite daunting for most students. We just have to look at the literacy rates to see how much children struggle with vocabulary. Rote learning of vocabulary does not really work. Experience has taught me students remember what they use and explore. Students need to have fun, engage with the material, and explore how their new knowledge works. Vocabulary lists are boring, but word clouds can be quite engaging. Therefore, I am sharing my favorite ways to help your students begin to explore new vocabulary through various word cloud tools, tips, and resources."

Storytelling continues to gain popularity as an educational activity as it stimulates a deep thinking process, it provides opportunities for reflection and it enhances and enriches the learning experience for our students. Storytelling is a very powerful way of communicating with our peers and portrays to others who we are and what our own stories are. It also provides an opportunity to connect with a group by creating a shared experience. This is vital in any community but more so in an educational setting where we are nurturing and fostering creativity.

Compliance trainings have been a significant part of corporate trainings for a long time now, they have been in the online format for the last 25 years. There have been a lot of changes since then in the way learning strategies are structured. And, compliance trainings have not yet used any new strategies to enhance the experiences of the learner.

"Can I Go to the Bathroom? by Ginger lewman A comparison of the same question/response from inside a traditional and a democratically-guided Project Based Learning classroom environment. This flowchart is a complete illustration of what most great teachers consider - all in about .5 seconds - when a student of any age asks them if they can have permission go to the bathroom. I read through the chart and agreed, through my own 19-ish years experience as a teacher, that this is exactly the truth. "

" What Job Would You Hire a Textbook To Do? " It was a fun and thought-provoking two days at Discovery Education's Beyond the Textbook event. Thanks so much to Steve Dembo, Dean Shareski, Hall Davidson, Laura Wenograd, and all the other folks at Discovery who not only planned this thing, but took very good care of us while we were there (Full Disclosure: I did not get paid to attend, but Discovery covered all expenses). And thanks to my fellow attendees for making this a great learning experience. (Oh, just a reminder Dean, there are still a couple of light bulbs you need to change.)

The purpose of this resource is to provide "Just in Time" training through an online interface for K-12 educators based on the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). These standards are the basic technology skills every educator should possess. In the process, educators will develop their own skills and discover what students need in order to meet the NETS for Students, as well as the new MMC Online Experience requirement. Participants who fulfill all of the requirements have the opportunity to earn SBCEU's. To learn more about the session, look under the tab "The 21 Things". We hope you take advantage of this unique opportunity.

On my recent trip to Shanghai China for the Learning 2.011 conference I was struck but so much that the experience will likely feed my thinking for the rest of my life. The conference is a bringing together of international school teachers, led by some of the most stellar educational minds of our time. The cohort leaders at this events lead with kindness, expertise and amazing resumes in the forms of blogs, podcasts, books and proven thought leadership in multiple realms. It was in this rarified company that I was given time and opportunity to go out and explore China as a pedestrian learner.

Brad was the 2012 Podstock keynote speaker in Wichita.  His presentation was a result of this experience covered in the blog post. 

"Inman USD No. 448 encourages employees and students to be creative and actively engaged in the learning experience. Collaboration and team building among staff is facilitated on a regular basis and everyone in the district is involved in continuously improving the district's programs."