SLAVConnects

"A collection of a number of websites that teachers, parents and students can use to help guide student reading selections. The aim : to assist students to find books to that they really like, then they'll be more inclined to make time in their busy schedules for reading."

"The most successful makerspaces include tools, materials and resources that inspire and allow for an environment rich with possibilities, allowing all students the opportunity for open-ended exploration.  In addition to tried-and-true favorites such as Spheros, Makey-Makey kits, littleBits, and Legos, there is now such a vast array of makerspace-related products available. As this year draws to a close, we can't help but reflect upon some of our favorite makerspace things. "

"2015 was a big year for libraries' digital efforts, with a record number of readers borrowing ebooks and digital audiobooks. Overdrive, the leading supplier of digital content to libraries and schools, reported Tuesday that, in 2015, readers borrowed more than 169 million ebooks. This marked a 24-percent increase over 2014. There was also a notable spike in audiobook usage, which saw a faster growth rate than ebook library borrowing"

From Common Sense Media. " Scope & Sequence tool to find age-appropriate lessons that address digital literacy and citizenship topics for your classroom. You can browse by grade band or click a category to highlight the lessons that address that topic. From professional development materials, to student interactives, to lessons and assessments, and family outreach materials, our comprehensive curriculum is turnkey to implement."

A piece that brings together, in an annotated list, a number of useful tools for writing purposes. There are also a number of other mentioned in the comments that follow the post.

An interesting article about the skills today's students need. "teaching students to find reliable sources, synthesize research findings and communicate results is more urgent than ever in a world where every blogger with a keyboard can pose as an expert."

Some interesting ideas and the questions in the last part of the blog got me thinking. "How do you include student voice in your library program? Does your library space reflect student voice? Are your lessons designed to celebrate student voice? We need to relax our adult expectations and be flexible enough to allow our students to shine"

ReadWriteThink Notetaker. Useful for a wide variety of reading and writing activities, this outlining tool allows students to organize up to five levels of information.

"Photos For Class makes it easy for students to quickly find copyright-free images that are automatically cited upon download." This will be a useful tool for helping to teach my students about being good digital citizens and understaning more about cpoyright and creative commons licensing. I also want them to correctly to cite sources and in the easiest way.

"An annotated list of 21 of the best presentation apps for educators."

Good article about Makerspaces (& STEM /STEAM) and schools. The discussion puts perspective into the equation. The authors talk about three values of student learning and empowerment: agency, authenticity, and audience and these are used as a basis for decisions about what happens in classrooms. I like the last few sentences. "Defining making in education in terms of tools, spaces, or disciplines is insufficient. Learning through making is a philosophical approach that can affect classes across the curriculum and schools across the globe. It's time to change the paradigm."

"Common Craft recently produced a new video on that topic. Through Bias Detection Explained by Common Craft students can learn about common signs of bias in media, problems that occur when bias is ignored, and why bias is common in communication. GIFs from the video can be seen here. The video itself is embedded below."

"QLD Ed Dept. The Digital footprint resources assist schools to promote discussions about the importance of positive online behaviours and protecting your digital footprint. Several areas: Cybersafety resources provide a range of resources for use by school staff from Prep to upper secondary. Cybersafety policy provides information for schools about developing school policies regarding the use of technology. Managing incidents. BECTA (UK government) resources"

"Qld govt resources designed to assist primary and secondary schools to promote discussions about the importance and power of positive online behaviours and protecting your digital footprint, the department has designed eye catching poster resources."

"Best Apps for Teaching & Learning are of great value to inquiry-based teaching and learning as embodied in the AASL's Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. The apps foster the qualities of innovation, creativity, active participation, and collaboration and are user friendly to encourage a community of learners to explore and discover."