OZ/NZ educators

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

Relationships Australia (SA) is looking for up to 10 Adelaide area gamers who want to participate in paid consultancy work about online gaming through a program called Keep It Fun. The end game is to create an online or mobile widget/app/info source for gamers aged 12 to 17 to help them work out whether they've got game and are keeping it fun or whether their gaming habits are pwning them.

"A summery about the report that offers a guide that provides references to research supporting the teaching methods used in flipped classrooms and includes three case studies focusing on flipped classrooms in action at the high school and college level." Links to the full report

Some concrete ideas that will assist teachers to begin to encourage students' critical-thinking skills in the classroom - an beyond.

Post with infographic and video that tries to explain what connected learning is and why it offers an important pathway in education

Listing the traits that make an the ideal 21st teacher. Post tries to answer What does an educational professional need to be or do to tune in and synchronize with the new realities silently emerging inside schools and educational environments?

The Big history project tells the story of the universe. It starts at the very beginning and reaches to the complex societies of today. It illustrates the connections between what are often seen as diverse subjects and weaves together insights and evidence from many disciplines into one single, understandable story. Insights come from astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, anthropology, history, economics, and more.

Some thoughts on participatory pedagogy and MOOCs...

Instagram and Vine are 2 popular social apps that allow you to share videos. This post examines the differences and the parameters of each. Tips for adults to be aware of as they try to assist young people in staying safe are also discussed

Spend time the first class creating rules with the class. It starts the students thinking , bonding, and taking responsibility for their own education. The infographic here gives you a good framework

Infographic that attempts to visualise the future of learning

"Isn't that a human paradox? While conflict can irritate, it can also beckon. While conflict can bring out the worst in people, it can also bring out the extraordinary. While conflict can make us resist, it can also expand our understanding. While conflict can divide, it can also unite. As participants discussed ideas and practiced on examples of conflict from their work, here is what I observed:"

A reflection about how Pinterest has become a highly used tool by teachers. There are some good links to some other useful sites.

Today's world is full of exciting technology to help families' daily lives and provide opportunities for children's future. But how do you find out what's suitable, safe or educational? At Quib.ly parents can ask questions about the technology their children are using, reply to others with answers, and get great advice from like minded parents and our knowledgeable experts."

A good tool for story creation that features some sophisticated editing tools perfect for middle or high school students. Students begin with story starters or a completely blank book. The site includes numerous templates and images to insure a professional looking book. Mixbook also offers accounts designed for teachers.