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Social Learning These tools use the power of social media to help students learn and teachers connect. Edmodo: Teachers and students can take advantage of this great tech tool, as it offers a Facebook-like environment where classes can connect online. Grockit: Get your students connected with each other in study sessions that take place on this great social site. EduBlogs: EduBlogs offers a safe and secure place to set up blogs for yourself or your classroom. Skype: Skype can be a great tool for keeping in touch with other educators or even attending meetings online. Even cooler, it can help teachers to connect with other classrooms, even those in other countries. Wikispaces: Share lessons, media, and other materials online with your students, or let them collaborate to build their own educational wiki on Wikispaces. Pinterest: You can pin just about any image you find interesting on this site, but many teachers are using it as a place to collect great lesson plans, projects, and inspirational materials. Schoology: Through this social site, teachers can manage lessons, engage students, share content, and connect with other educators. Quora: While Quora is used for a wide range of purposes, it can be a great tool for educators. It can be used to connect with other professionals or to engage students in discussion after class. Ning: Ning allows anyone to create a personalized social network, which can be great for both teachers and students alike. OpenStudy:Encourage your students to work together to learn class material by using a social study site like OpenStudy. ePals: One of the coolest benefits of the Web is being able to connect with anyone, anywhere. ePals does just that, but focuses on students, helping them to learn languages and understand cultures different from their own.

Overview All Content (85) Questions and Breakthroughs (27) Resources (5) Blog Polls Set as default tab Technology has allowed teaching and learning to go beyond the traditional classroom. How are you integrating mobile learning in your classroom? Manage categories Add a new category Edit category Close Create and manage categories in Mobile Learning. Removing a category will not remove content. Categories in Mobile Learning Add a new category (0 remaining) Only categories are allowed, right now there are too many. Name Tag suggestions (optional) Use tags to recommend this category to content authors. A matching tag will display a hint next to the category name when creating content. Popular tags in Mobile Learning: Apply this new category to all content using the suggested tags? if (dwr == null) var dwr = {}; if (dwr.engine == null) dwr.engine = {}; if (DWREngine == null) var DWREngine = dwr.engine; dwr.engine._origScriptSessionId = "8EC617F5FEFD11BE846DF7A9A0B29706"; dwr.engine._sessionCookieName = "JSESSIONID"; // JSESSIONID dwr.engine._allowGetForSafariButMakeForgeryEasier = "true"; dwr.engine._scriptTagProtection = "throw 'allowScriptTagRemoting is false.';"; dwr.engine._defaultPath = "/dwr/interface"; dwr.engine._pollWithXhr = "false"; var communityID = 2013; var containerID = 2013; var containerType = 14; function closeCustomizeWidgetMessageProperty() { $j('#jive-overview-customize-info').hide(); CommunityUtils.closeCustomizeWidgetMessageProperty(); } function setUserDefaultTab() { $j('#jive-set-default-tab').hide(); CommunityUtils.setUserDefaultTab(communityID, 'overview'); } function startFollowing() { FollowingActionBean.followContainer(14, communityID, true, { callback:function() { $j('#jive-link-community-startFollowing').hide(); $j('#jive-link-community-stopFollowing').show(); Jive.AlertMessage('thread.watch.notify', { beforeStart:function() { $j('[id=thread.watch.notify]').html('' + 'You are now following this community, which will appear in the Places widget. To remove, click "Stop following this community".' + ''); } }); }, errorHandler:function(msg, e) { alert("An internal error occurred while following the project or community."); } }); } function stopFollowing() { FollowingActionBean.followContainer(14, communityID, false, { callback:function() { $j('#jive-link-community-startFollowing').show(); $j('#jive-link-community-stopFollowing').hide(); Jive.AlertMessage('thread.watch.notify', { beforeStart:function() { $j('[id=thread.watch.notify]').html('' + 'You have stopped following this community. To view this community in the Places widget, click "Follow this community" below.' + ''); } }); }, errorHandler:function(msg, e) { alert("An internal error occurred while following the project or community."); } }); } var containerID = 2013; var containerType = 14; var popularTags = new Array(); var tagSets = new Array(); var container = { ID: containerID, objectType: containerType}; var maxTagSetCount = 25 if(typeof(Community) == 'undefined'){ Community = {}; Community.feed = {}; } function manageCategories(){ $j(".jive-modal-title-add-category").hide(); $j(".jive-modal-add-category").hide(); $j(".jive-modal-title-edit-category").hide(); $j(".jive-modal-edit-category").hide(); $j(".jive-modal-title-manage-categories").show(); $j(".jive-modal-categories-listing").show(); $j("#jive-modal-categories").lightbox_me(); $j("#saveButton").unbind("click"); $j("#saveButton").click(function(event) { $j("#saveButton").tri

Safe for students, optimized for the classroom

System Designed for K-12 Classrooms

Offer the right tools for each student

OverviewA survey of teachers who instruct American middle and secondary school students finds that digital technologies have become central to their teaching and professionalization. At the same time, the internet, mobile phones, and social media have brought new challenges to teachers, and they report striking differences in access to the latest digital technologies between lower and higher income students and school districts. Asked about the impact of the internet and digital tools in their role as middle and high school educators, these teachers say the following about the overall impact on their teaching and their classroom work: 92% of these teachers say the internet has a “major impact” on their ability to access content, resources, and materials for their teaching 69% say the internet has a “major impact” on their ability to share ideas with other teachers 67% say the internet has a “major impact” on their ability to interact with parents and 57% say it has had such an impact on enabling their interaction with students The survey finds that digital tools are widely used in classrooms and assignments, and a majority of these teachers are satisfied with the support and resources they receive from their school in this area. However, it also indicates that teachers of the lowest income students face more challenges in bringing these tools to their classrooms: Mobile technology has become central to the learning process, with 73% of AP and NWP teachers saying that they and/or their students use their cell phones in the classroom or to complete assignments More than four in ten teachers report the use of e-readers (45%) and tablet computers (43%) in their classrooms or to complete assignments 62% say their school does a “good job” supporting teachers’ efforts to bring digital tools into the learning process, and 68% say their school provides formal training in this area Teachers of low income students, however, are much less likely than teachers of the highest income students to use tablet computers (37% v. 56%) or e-readers (41% v. 55%) in their classrooms and assignments Similarly, just over half (52%) of teachers of upper and upper-middle income students say their students use cell phones to look up information in class, compared with 35% of teachers of the lowest income students Just 15% of AP and NWP teachers whose students are from upper income households say their school is “behind the curve” in effectively using digital tools in the learning process; 39% who teach students from low income households describe their school as “behind the curve” 70% of teachers of the highest income students say their school does a “good job” providing the resources needed to bring digital tools into the classroom; the same is true of 50% of teachers working in low income areas Teachers of the lowest income students are more than twice as likely as teachers of the highest income students (56% v. 21%) to say that students’ lack of access to digital technologies is a “major challenge” to incorporating more digital tools into their teaching

While there is much on-going research on new technologies and their effects on teaching and learning, there is little rigorous, large-scale data that makes for solid research, education experts say. The vast majority of the studies available are funded by the very companies and institutions that have created and promoted the technology, raising questions of the research’s validity and objectivity. In addition, the kinds of studies that produce meaningful data often take several years to complete—a timeline that lags far behind the fast pace of emerging and evolving technologies.

For example, it is difficult to pinpoint empirical data to support the case for mobile learning in schools—a trend that educators have been exploring for several years now—let alone data to support even newer technologies such as tablet computers like the iPad. The studies that do look at the effects of mobile technologies on learning are often based on small samples of students involved in short-term pilots, not the kind of large-scale, ongoing samples of students that educators and policymakers would like to see (Education Week, Feb. 23, 2011).

However, there are a handful of large-scale studies that do point to trends and observations in the education technology field. For example, Project RED, a research initiative linked closely with the One-to-One Institute, which supports one-to-one laptop initiatives in K-12 schools, released a study about successful implementation models of education technology in October 2010. That study found that most of the schools that have integrated laptops and other digital tools into learning are not maximizing the use of those devices in ways that best make use of their potential. The report goes on to outline the critical steps needed to capitalize on that potential (Project RED, 2010).

Using Video in the Classroom Resource Details Cost Animoto Animoto helps you create videos from your photos, video clips, words and music. iphone/ipad app. Free 30 sec videos/Paid membership for full length, pro or HD videos Skype in the classroom Skype is a free and easy way for teachers to open up their classroom. Meet new people, talk to experts, share ideas and create amazing learning experiences with teachers from around the world. Free VoiceThread VoiceThread is an interactive collaboration and sharing tool that enables users to add images, documents, and videos, and to which other users can add voice, text, audio file, or video comments. You can post your VoiceThread on your website or save it to an MP3 or DVD. VoiceThread allows those with hearing impairments to collaborate through webcam commenting and sign language. Free single eduactor licence/Paid memberships for class or departments Google Earth Get the world’s geographic information at your fingertips. Take a virtual journey to any location in the world. Explore 3D buildings, imagery, and terrain. Find cities, places and local businesses. Take a trip to a faraway place, stroll through a 3D forest and travel back in time. Record a tour to present in class or view online. Free download, desktop, web or mobile/Google Earth Pro, free trial, paid licence Web cams Many Internet sites have "web cams" which automatically load camera images of various objects or locations. The images are then uploaded to a web page. No special software, plug-ins, or equipment is needed to view web cam images. Free Camtasia Record your screen, edit and customize professional quality videos, and share them with anyone, on nearly any device. Free 30 day trial/Paid license AV apps Got an AV app for that? Yes, InfoComm does! iPhones, iPads and other mobile device bring pocket light meters, troubleshooting guides, signal generators and more right to your phone. Free - Paid 80 educational alternatives to YouTube Watching educational videos is a great way to learn because it allows studetns to build a visual picture or model in their mind. The visual dimension not only helps them understand concepts better but also stimulates curiosity and encourages self-training. Free ebook

#news_entries #ad_sharebox_260x60 img {padding:0px;margin:0px} if(HPAds.ad_check_page_config('sharebox_260x60')) { var adId = '93315218'; htmlAdWH(adId, "260", "60","f"); var debugadcode = ''; document.write(debugadcode); } setTimeout(function(){if(typeof social_campaign != 'undefined' && jQuery('.print-link')[0].href.indexOf(social_campaign) == -1 ) { var _print_href = jQuery('.print-link')[0].href; jQuery('.print-link').attr( 'href' , _print_href + '&comm_ref=' + social_campaign )} },3000) share this story .badges_v2 .badge_v2_facebook_ipad_app:after { content:'Share'; padding-left: 14px; text-align: center; width: 41px; } .badges_v2 .badge_v2_email_ipad_app:after { content:'Email'; padding-left: 22px; } .badges_v2 .badge_v2_comments_ipad_app:after { content:'Comment'; padding-left: 11px; } .badges_v2 .badge_v2_retweet_ipad_app:after { content:'Tweet'; padding-left: 20px; } 5727323 var inst_def = Badges.getUniqName(); window[inst_def.obj_name] = new Badges({ unique_id: inst_def.unique_id, holder_id: "badges_v2_1", human_readable: 0, panel_layout: 8, complete_callback_func_name: "", layout_bottom: false, share_details_callback: false, additional_panel_classes: "", entry_params: { "id" : 3228851, "title" : "Five Ways Teachers Can Use Technology to Help Students", "created_on": 1367930040, "vertical_name": "Technology", "tweet_comm_hash" : "", "tweet_comm_text" : "", "force_fb_like" : 1, "custom_tweet_text" : "" }, global_name: "window." + inst_def.obj_name }); // ===================================================== // Now goes logic for every layout var slices = {"1":"facebook_glamorous","2":"retweet_glamorous","3":"email_glamorous","4":"google_plusone_glamorous"}; if ((jQuery.browser.mozilla && (jQuery.browser.version Submit this story digg reddit stumble By Darrell M. West and Joshua Bleiberg Thomas Edison on

Thomas Edison once said, "Books will soon be obsolete in the public schools... our school system will be completely changed inside of ten years.

YouTube is a great tool for this; chances are you can find a video clip to compliment any lesson there.

a video clip to compliment any lesson there.

Using mobile devices like iPads and tablets you can keep students involved with all sorts of educational games for just about any subject. Students can keep track of their progress and work to compete with other students to advance to the next level.

73% of AP and NWP teachers say that they and/or their students use their mobile phones in the classroom or to complete assignments 45% report they or their students use e-readers and 43% use tablet computers in the classroom or to complete assignments

76% of AP and NWP teachers “strongly agree that “search engines have conditioned students to expect to be able to find information quickly and easily” 83% agree that “the amount of information available online today is overwhelming for most students” 71% agree that “today’s digital technologies discourage students from finding and using a wide range of sources for their research” 60% agree with the notion that “today’s digital technologies make it harder for students to find and use credible sources of information”

70% of teachers working in the highest income areas say their school does a “good job” providing teachers the resources and support they need to incorporate digital tools in the classroom, compared with 50% of teachers working in the lowest income areas 73% of teachers of high income students receive formal training in this area, compared with 60% of teachers of low income students 56% of teachers of students from higher income households say they or their students use tablet computers in the learning process, compared with 37% of teachers of the lowest income students 55% of teachers of higher income students say they or their students use e-readers in the classroom, compared with 41%  teaching in low income areas 52% of teachers of upper and upper-middle income students say their students use cell phones to look up information in class, compared with 35% of teachers of the lowest income students 39% of AP and NWP teachers of low income students say their school is “behind the curve” when it comes to effectively using digital tools in the learning process; just 15% of teachers of higher income students rate their schools poorly in this area 56% of teachers of the lowest income students say that a lack of resources among students to access digital technologies is a “major challenge” to incorporating more digital tools into their teaching; 21% of teachers of the highest income students report that problem 49% of teachers of students living in low income households say their school’s use of internet filters has a major impact on their teaching, compared with 24% of those who teach better off students who say that 33% of teachers of lower income students say their school’s rules about classroom cell phone use by students have a major impact on their teaching, compared with 15% of those who teach students from the highest income households

Using mobile devices like iPads and tablets you can keep students involved with all sorts of educational games for just about any subject.

help prepare students for their future careers

reach diversity in learning styles

encouraging collaboration.

ABCya is the leader in free educational computer games and mobile apps for kids. The innovation of a grade school teacher, ABCya is an award-winning destination for elementary students that offers hundreds of fun, engaging learning activities. Millions of kids, parents, and teachers visit ABCya.com each month, playing over 1 billion games last year. Apple, The New York Times, USA Today, Parents Magazine and Scholastic, to name just a few, have featured ABCya’s popular educational games.

Personal Access to Mobile Device

Internet Connectivity

Mobile Devices for Schoolwork

Technology is rapidly changing the ways we live our lives and interact with the world.

comprehensive framework that will help you select and use a variety of technology and interactive media tools in your classroom—including digital cameras, audio recorders, webcams, publication and presentation tools, and multi-touch mobile devices.

Developmentally appropriate and effective strategies to use technology to facilitate children's learning 28 links to video clips that provide a deeper look at how these practices are used in real classrooms 32 forms to help you plan, reflect on, and evaluate how you use technology to help children learn