Group items tagged

"Gamification" describes turning real-world situations into games. Gamification is a neologism -- a newly invented term that's becoming commonly used. The word gamification was likely born in the realm of casual conversation to convey the idea of turning something into a game. People like entrepreneur and author Gabe Zichermann, though, have given gamification its own unique definition. Zichermann, a respected authority on gamification and its applications, defines the term as "the process of using game thinking and mechanics to engage audiences and solve problems." In short, he describes gamification as "non-fiction gaming."

"So you and your students use the Internet everyday, but are you fluent in its language? Perhaps you've found yourself listening to a "techy" conversation where the terms IP, DNS, or PHP were being used and you wanted to know what those terms mean. What is an IP address? What is a DNS record? And just who is in charge of the Internet? Get answers to those questions and many more in Make Use Of's free ebook How the Internet Works."

"TodaysMeet is a free online tool that allows you to backchannel. What is a backchannel I hear you ask? Backchanneling is having real time online conversations alongside live presentations. A backchannel lets participants ask questions, discuss what is being presented, share links and reflect on their learning. Backchanneling could be describe as "virtual whispering or note passing" during lessons, presentation or activities."

70:20:10 is simply a reference model or framework that is being used by organisations re-focus their efforts and resources towards where most real learning actually happens, through experiences, practice, conversations and reflection in the context of the workplace, not in classrooms. Anyone trying to 'prove' that the percentages fall exactly this way is not only wasting their time, but clearly doesn't 'get it' or understand the vagaries of Human Behaviour research.

Jonathan Bergann and Aaron Sams are two science teachers from Woodland Park, South Dakota who are leading a revolution in instruction called "The Flipped Class." Stated simply, their method involves flipping what happens in the classroom with what happens at home. Rather than lecture live, they make videos for their student to watch at home. Class time is spent working with students to better understand the material covered in the videos. Their motto is, "class is for conversation, not dissemination."

Last week I spent three days thinking about curriculum and all that it means to teaching and learning thanks to the Australian Curriculum Studies Association's biannual conference. It was three days of deeply thoughtful conversation and learning with just the right mix of academic research and ideas for grounded practice straight out of innovative classrooms and schools. With keynotes by Alan Reid, Dan Haesler, Bob Lingard, Robert Randall and Jan Owen combined with Masterclasses from some of Australia's leading educators there was much on offer. The biggest challenge was deciding which workshop you would attend when every session offered such outstanding opportunities.

As children, we ask "Why?" a lot. It is a part of childhood, that special time when the many forces acting upon our cognitive development converge around a singular desire to ask "Why". It becomes the central focus of our conversational style, an incessant exclamation into the void which tests the patience of any nearby adult. But asking "Why" offers so much more.

A 4 minute video report. A brief but useful report on managing your reputation when using social media. "Throw away comments can quickly become problematic. People regard social media as a private conversation, but it never is private, regardless of what your settings are. The capacity to repost is always there." Report continues with  "people who post comments threatening violence when responding to a post that is upsetting can be unlawful". Although relating to the laws of New Zealand, there are some good pointers for everyone. 

often think in metaphors. They help me to clarify and communicate my thinking. A metaphor can make a complex idea accessible and comprehensible. They invite understanding and are a useful catalyst for conversation. A metaphor can be made even more powerful when it is combined with a practical demonstration. One metaphor I like to share with colleagues revolves around the impact that we might have as teachers. - A guest post by Stellina Sim

"Format Factory is a multifunctional media converter"

A good interview from a very articulate man on "What really matters in education?". A lot of good sense and seemingly simple advice.

We need to store knowledge in our outboard brains - not only in databases, intranets and on the Internet, but also in the experience and insights of our co-workers, colleagues and people networks. Knowing who to ask when confronting a challenge is absolutely vital in our interconnected world.

Discussing how universities want to control knowledge rather than letting it flow freely.

Handy colour tool for finding colour schemes and web hex codes for colours.