Skip to main content

Home/ LTMS600/ Group items tagged engagement

Rss Feed Group items tagged

L Butler

From Distraction to Engagement: Wireless Devices in the Classroom (EDUCAUSE Quarterly) ... - 0 views

  • From Distraction to Engagement: Wireless Devices in the Classroom
  • devices in the classroom threaten to distract student attention but also offer opportunities for student engagement
  • creative options for making wireless devices part of instruction
  • ...5 more annotations...
  • Mobile phones, for instance, are considered distracting because of problems with ringing during class, cheating, or multitasking,1 and the camera that comes with many phones can raise privacy issues as well. Similar complaints might also be made about laptops in the classroom.
  • a whole spectrum of methods for dealing with such distractions, ranging from technical control to pedagogical innovation. In this article, I discuss these methods with a special emphasis on engaging students to minimize the negative effects of distraction by laptop computers or other wireless devices.
  • laptops and smart phones do not cause more distraction than windows through which students look at birds and flowers, “yet you don’t seal the windows just because of that
  • Whose fault is it if distracting activities are going on in the classroom? What caused the distractions other than the availability of technology? Will alternative distractions occur if the technological tools are removed? Without implying that students are always right, I would say that the issue gives educators a reason to reflect on their own teaching or, rather, the instructional process as a whole.
    • L Butler
       
      Good reflective questions for figuring out why something is a distraction and how to remedy the situation.
  • Another method for engaging students is to deconstruct a traditional, 50-minute lecture by breaking it up, re-mixing it, and redistributing it in a variety of formats and settings.
Ryan Donnelly

Museum 2.0: Engagement, Distraction, and the Puzzle of the Puzzle - 1 views

  • there's a fine line between something that is inviting versus something that is distracting,
    • L Butler
       
      The debate with engagement vs distraction extends beyond the classroom. We are in such a sensory overload environment that things like art museums are also trying to adapt to re-capture attention.
    • Ryan Donnelly
       
      I'm not sure that I find this picture to be a comment on distraction as much as how much kids like touching things rather than starring at what, quite frankly, doesn't look to be that interesting of an exhibit.  If you want kids to be engaged in your museum, which is partially the point of this article/post, then you need to make it interactive. The same goes for the classroom. Making the classroom interactive whether through tech. or other means, is a necessity!
Beth Hartranft

9 Tips for Enriching Your Presentations With Social Media - 1 views

  •  
    "Pioneer presenters are using social media to engage their audience and extend the reach of their ideas. Twitter, Facebook, and numerous custom online tools allow presenters to create a backchannel for their audience's ideas and feedback. This two-way engagement can enrich the audience's understanding as well as the presenter's effectiveness."
anonymous

Socrative | Student response system | Engage audiences - 0 views

  •  
    Socrative is a smart student response system that empowers teachers to engage their classrooms through a series of educational exercises and games via smartphones, laptops, and tablets.
  •  
    Shared today on twitter
L Butler

Social Media and Student Engagement | Pearson Blog - 0 views

  • The article – “Teachers Embrace Social Media in Class” – describes the divide in college faculty perspectives on social media. One side sees social media as a distraction negatively impacting student engagement (and mentions one institution who blocked access to social sites for a week) and the other sees social media as a tool to reach students where they are and focus them in on the learning process.
    • L Butler
       
      Which side are you?
  • In 2011, college faculty shared which social media are most valuable to them in teaching, with online video as most valuable and Twitter as least valuable.
    • L Butler
       
      The survey was for college professors, do you think the data would be the same for teachers in your building?
anonymous

Educational Leadership:Teaching for the 21st Century:21st Century Skills: The Challenge... - 0 views

    • anonymous
       
      This will come as a shck to a lot of folks, eh? Not new?
  • But in fact, the skills students need in the 21st century are not new.
    • anonymous
       
      Not new, eh? Then what's all the fuss? Read on.
  • What's actually new is the extent to which changes in our economy and the world mean that collective and individual success depends on having such skills.
    • anonymous
       
      Ah! So THAT's the difference. Yes, I would agree. You?
  • ...9 more annotations...
  • This distinction between "skills that are novel" and "skills that must be taught more intentionally and effectively" ought to lead policymakers to different education reforms than those they are now considering. If these skills were indeed new, then perhaps we would need a radical overhaul of how we think about content and curriculum. But if the issue is, instead, that schools must be more deliberate about teaching critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving to all students, then the remedies are more obvious, although still intensely challenging.
    • anonymous
       
      I like this paragraph. We need only be more deliberate with our intent to focus on these skils. It's not a complete overhaul, then. I think schools would be more likely to accept this perspective, don't you?
  • To complicate the challenge, some of the rhetoric we have heard surrounding this movement suggests that with so much new knowledge being created, content no longer matters; that ways of knowing information are now much more important than information itself. Such notions contradict what we know about teaching and learning and raise concerns that the 21st century skills movement will end up being a weak intervention for the very students—low-income students and students of color—who most need powerful schools as a matter of social equity.
    • anonymous
       
      Some folks even go so far as to say that we don't have to teach the times tables any more. I cringe when I hear that.
  • What will it take to ensure that the idea of "21st century skills"—or more precisely, the effort to ensure that all students, rather than just a privileged few, have access to a rich education that intentionally helps them learn these skills—is successful in improving schools? That effort requires three primary components. First, educators and policymakers must ensure that the instructional program is complete and that content is not shortchanged for an ephemeral pursuit of skills. Second, states, school districts, and schools need to revamp how they think about human capital in education—in particular how teachers are trained. Finally, we need new assessments that can accurately measure richer learning and more complex tasks.
    • anonymous
       
      Do you agree with his three points? Is his missing any?
  • Why would misunderstanding the relationship of skills and knowledge lead to trouble? If you believe that skills and knowledge are separate, you are likely to draw two incorrect conclusions. First, because content is readily available in many locations but thinking skills reside in the learner's brain, it would seem clear that if we must choose between them, skills are essential, whereas content is merely desirable. Second, if skills are independent of content, we could reasonably conclude that we can develop these skills through the use of any content. For example, if students can learn how to think critically about science in the context of any scientific material, a teacher should select content that will engage students (for instance, the chemistry of candy), even if that content is not central to the field. But all content is not equally important to mathematics, or to science, or to literature. To think critically, students need the knowledge that is central to the domain.
    • anonymous
       
      I like this, too. Having a firm grip on basic knowledge (times tables, for example) is a MUST for the higher order ideas we're after.
  • Because of these challenges, devising a 21st century skills curriculum requires more than paying lip service to content knowledge.
    • anonymous
       
      Hear Hear!
  • Advocates of 21st century skills favor student-centered methods—for example, problem-based learning and project-based learning—that allow students to collaborate, work on authentic problems, and engage with the community. These approaches are widely acclaimed and can be found in any pedagogical methods textbook; teachers know about them and believe they're effective. And yet, teachers don't use them. Recent data show that most instructional time is composed of seatwork and whole-class instruction led by the teacher (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network, 2005). Even when class sizes are reduced, teachers do not change their teaching strategies or use these student-centered methods (Shapson, Wright, Eason, & Fitzgerald, 1980). Again, these are not new issues. John Goodlad (1984) reported the same finding in his landmark study published more than 20 years ago.
    • anonymous
       
      This is important, I believe, if we're to promote these ideas.
  • Why don't teachers use the methods that they believe are most effective? Even advocates of student-centered methods acknowledge that these methods pose classroom management problems for teachers. When students collaborate, one expects a certain amount of hubbub in the room, which could devolve into chaos in less-than-expert hands. These methods also demand that teachers be knowledgeable about a broad range of topics and are prepared to make in-the-moment decisions as the lesson plan progresses. Anyone who has watched a highly effective teacher lead a class by simultaneously engaging with content, classroom management, and the ongoing monitoring of student progress knows how intense and demanding this work is. It's a constant juggling act that involves keeping many balls in the air.
  • Most teachers don't need to be persuaded that project-based learning is a good idea—they already believe that. What teachers need is much more robust training and support than they receive today, including specific lesson plans that deal with the high cognitive demands and potential classroom management problems of using student-centered methods.
    • anonymous
       
      TIME! And RE-training. Where is this truly modeled? It's VERY difficult to teach in a model that yo've never experienced either as a teacher or a student.
  • Without better curriculum, better teaching, and better tests, the emphasis on "21st century skills" will be a superficial one that will sacrifice long-term gains for the appearance of short-term progress.
Mr. R Riter

Gates Ideas - 0 views

shared by Mr. R Riter on 27 Jul 09 - Cached
  • Welcome to the Gates Ideas website. Look around to find information about my workshops, resources, and other services that I provide. I bring a lifetime of experience in education and a passion for all things technology to the table to help you find and use the right tool for the job. It’s all about getting the kids actively engaged in their learning. I demand a world class education for all children. Say it with me - "I demand a world class education for all children!"
    • anonymous
       
      I think this is very profound
    • L Butler
       
      I agree - all children deserve a world class education. Technology is a great way to engage students ... of all ages, including graduate students.
    • Beth Hartranft
       
      Great Ideas can be found here!
    • Scott Brewer
       
      I hope that I have this site bookmaked in my netvibes...
    • anonymous
       
      Wow - I like the last line of this highlighted paragraph!
    • Amy Soule
       
      Great resource!
    • Emily Reinert
       
      I agree wholeheartedly - profound indeed!
    • Emma Clouser
       
      Hats off to a world class education!
    • Mrs Huber
       
      World class education for all.....I wonder if I will see this in my lifetime?
    • N Butler
       
      Actively engaged is the way to go. Having students become the educators and the teacher the facilitor is awesome.
  • James Gates, Consultant
    • Vicki Barr
       
      Jim is a great teacher!
  • One of our goals is to encourage and provide training so that teachers see technology as an enhancement and not a replacement for their current technique.
    • Mr. R Riter
       
      This is a great goal for merging technology & education.
  •  
    I have logged and leaving a comment!
Michelle Krill

Perk Up Your Projects with Web 2.0 - home - 0 views

  •  
    Navigate through the different elements to learn how you can re-invent your teaching and your students' learning with the use of a few engaging, motivating, and fun resources.
Michelle Krill

H.E.A.T. Framework - 1 views

  •  
    "In a digitally-charged learning environment, the key is to turn up the H.E.A.T. on student learning. H.E.A.T. is an acronym that is synonymous with digital-age learning (i.e., 21st Century Skills) and represents Student Output in terms of student: Higher order thinking, Engaged learning, Authentic connections, and Technology use."
Michelle Krill

What Is PBL Really? - 0 views

  •  
    "Do you want to engage your students in Project Based Learning (PBL)? Maybe you are asking yourself what is PBL really? Am I doing it right?"
Michelle Krill

DocsTeach - 0 views

  •  
    The National Archives has created a new web site to help educators teach with primary-source documents. The site, called DocsTeach, not only lets teachers explore thousands of documents in a variety of media from the National Archives holdings, but it also includes online tools to help teachers combine these materials and create engaging history activities that students can access over the internet.
peguyer

Nearpod: Create, Engage, Assess through Mobile Devices. | Interactive Lessons | Mobile ... - 0 views

shared by peguyer on 08 Jun 15 - No Cached
  •  
    Great resource for creating engaging interactive lessons.
Michelle Krill

TwHistory » About - 0 views

  •  
    "The TwHistory project began in early 2009 with the first Twitter reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg over a period of several weeks. TwHistory is based on the idea that historical reenactments can take place online and have positive effects for all involved. In school settings these virtual reenactments can increase engagement while providing opportunities for students to research personal journals and other primary source documents. In order to organize, study, and preserve these online reenactments we have created TwHistory.org. View past and current projects on our reenactments page. You can also follow us on Twitter at @TwHistory."
Michelle Krill

Scrapbooking, Free Ecards, Birthday and Greeting Cards at Smilebox.com - 0 views

  •  
    What is Smilebox? Smilebox is a fun and engaging service that connects you with family and friends using your photos and videos. It's free, easy to use, and the results are amazing. What can I make with Smilebox? With Smilebox, you can create animated scrapbooks, photobooks, slideshows, postcards, and ecards for any occasion, and email them to anyone.
anonymous

BBC News - Children who use technology are 'better writers' - 0 views

  •  
    ""Our research suggests a strong correlation between kids using technology and wider patterns of reading and writing," Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust, told BBC News. "Engagement with online technology drives their enthusiasm for writing short stories, letters, song lyrics or diaries." "
L Butler

Digitally Speaking / Voicethread - 0 views

  • School is one of the few times when they can get together with their friends and they use every unscheduled moment to socialize - passing time, when the teacher's back is turned, lunch, bathroom breaks, etc. They are desperately craving an opportunity to connect with their friends; not surprisingly, their use of anything that enables socialization while at school is deeply desired.
  • informal social learning
  • This drive to connect provides a unique opportunity for school teachers:  Incredibly high levels of student motivation paired with a predefined fluency with electronic communication tools.
  • ...22 more annotations...
  • One tool that can help educators to do just that is Voicethread.
  • Known as a “group audio blog,” Voicethread allows users to record text and audio comments about uploaded images.
  • Voicethread is Asynchronous:
  • Voicethread is Engaging:
  • Begin by carefully selecting a topic that will promote conversation and debate between students—and that can be conveyed through images currently available to you.
  • don’t be afraid to disagree with something
  • Initial comments should be somewhere between 1 and 3 sentences long. 
    • L Butler
       
      As a teacher, this will be a challenge. The brief intro is what makes the difference between presentation and social education dialogue.
  • The best Voicethreads are truly interactive—with users listening and responding to one another. 
  • They come to the conversation with an open mind, willing to reconsider their own positions—and willing to challenge the notions of others. 
  • carefully script out short opening comments for each image that include a question for viewers to consider. 
  • help other listeners know what it is that has caught your attention.
  • finish your comment with a question that other listeners can reply to.  Questions help to keep digital conversations going!
  • To be an active Voicethreader, start by carefully working your way through a presentation.   While viewing pictures and listening to the comments that have been added by other users, you should:   Gather Facts:  Jot down things that are interesting and new to you  Make Connections:  Relate and compare things you are viewing and hearing to things that you already know.  Ask Questions:  What about the comments and presentation is confusing to you?  What don’t you understand?  How will you find the answer?  Remember that there will ALWAYS be questions in an active thinker’s mind!  Give Opinions:  Make judgments about what you are viewing and hearing.  Do you agree?  Do you disagree?  Like?  Dislike?  Do you support or oppose anything that you have heard or seen?  Why? Use the following sentence starters to shape your thoughts and comments while viewing or participating in Voicethread presentations.  Comments based on these kinds of statements make Voicethreads interactive and engaging.   This reminds me of… This is similar to… I wonder… I realized… I noticed… You can relate this to… I’d like to know… I’m surprised that… If I were ________, I would  ______________ If __________ then ___________ Although it seems… I’m not sure that…
    • L Butler
       
      These student suggestions are the missing link I was looking for to successfully incorporate into my classroom.
  • Just be sure to disagree agreeably
  • Assessing Voicethread Participation
  • Essentially mirroring the reflective aspects of Konrad Glogowski's system for pushing reflective blogging, I've decided to ask my students the following four questions while we're working with a new Voicethread:
  • To craft careful answers, they must truly consider the comments of others---an essential skill for promoting collaborative versus competitive dialogue---and compare those comments against their own beliefs and preconceived notions. 
    • L Butler
       
      Competitive dialogue motivates the students, but collaborative dialogue is the life skill they need to learn.
  • Voicethread Handouts  
  • Voicethread Do's and Don'ts
  • Citing Images
  • Voicethread allows users to upload documents to their strands of conversation as well.  That means that users can create a "Works Cited" page in a word processing application and upload it at the end of their Voicethread presentations. 
    • L Butler
       
      Very useful info - I have been individually citing each picture, and its unsightly.
  • This one-page handout is designed to introduce students to some general tips for participating in Voicethread conversations. 
  •  
    Detailed guide to creating/using/evaluating VoiceThread in the classroom. There are great examples and guides to download. The question prompts for students to consider when replying are simple, yet perfect.
anonymous

Global SchoolNet: Home - 0 views

  •  
    Global SchoolNet's mission is to support 21st century learning. We engage teachers and students in meaningful project learning exchanges with people around the world to develop literacy and communication skills, foster teamwork and collaboration, encourage workforce preparedness and create multi-cultural understanding. We prepare youth for full participation as productive and effective citizens in an increasing global economy.
L Butler

Watch Free Documentaries - SnagFilms - 0 views

shared by L Butler on 15 Aug 09 - Cached
  •  
    Free documentaries - many from sources like National Geographic. You can 'snag' the video and embed it in another site or a blog. This would be an advantage to engaging students outside the classroom.
Ryan Donnelly

Technology to Engage, not Distract | Connected Principals - 1 views

    • Ryan Donnelly
       
      This is a really good point they make, "Do we think that before technology, most students avoided distraction?" Kids still got distracted, just by different things. Teacher found a way to deal with note passing, etc. Why is tech. any different? 
  • there is no actual evidence to support the view that this generation is distracted, performing poorly or otherwise less capable than previous generations. In fact the evidence suggests that on the whole, this is the smartest generation ever. IQ is up year over year for many years, university entrance exam scores are at an all time high and it has never been tougher to get into the best universities.  This is a generation about which we can be enormously hopeful.
    • Ryan Donnelly
       
      If the generation to come is no good, that would only be a poor reflection on us, the generation before whose job it was to train them for the world. Sounds like this article points to evidence that we did a good job and that these kids are too!
1 - 20 of 33 Next ›
Showing 20 items per page