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That is a very interesting article! No, I have considered this as it is defined, or specified. Actually I suggested something like this awhile back when I was teaching a group of adult students in computer basics. Some of the drawbacks were brought up by others, such as it would require many more resources than we had available at the time.

Thank you for your response, Marie! I'm certain there are drawbacks due to lack of resources, and I'm sure it's time consuming to set up. Still, I would really like to try this in the near future. Thanks again.

I find this tool similar to VoiceThread. See what you think.

I firmly believe visual timelines are a must in history classes. From my own experience, it was not until I taught my own children history using a timeline did I really understand history. For me, it was just events and a bunch of dates until I created one with my daughters. We built a timeline around our schoolroom of all the historical events that we were studying. Each time we studied and added another event, we were able to see it in the context of the world's history. I helped me see history in context for the first time. As Simon said, the "big picture." Dipity and other timelines like it, should be one of the pillar of tools used in today's history classes.

I recently had students do a project for President's Day but this would be a great way to incorporate this project even more. They would be able to understand the person they have chosen and the events that went on during their time and like you mentioned Stephen get the "big picture." Awesome.

Its easy to see how this technology could be used in the educational setting. It allows the instructor to set the background for a lesson on a particular event. It can be used to teach history but other topics as well. For example, in literature it can be used to list situations leading to a climax in play such as Romeo and Juliet. I was most surprised to see it being used in journalism. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvCyLrY9rDs http://www.dipity.com/alexvoa/Timeline-Chile-Miners-Ordeal/

Here is a video on Digital Storytelling from a lecture in SecondLife. I found it informative and an sharing it with you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XRS-45wKWk

I love storytelling as a means to teach. I always try to weave stories into my training as I think it helps people connect to the material better.

Storytelling is a natural way to create meaningful and sometimes emotionally rich connections. When my grandfather would sit me down and talk about all the various places he had traveled to though out his life, I couldn't help but feel connected to those places. It also gave me deeper insight as to what those places must have been like. I believe that because storytelling forces our minds to envision the situations, it keeps learners interested and assists in information retention.

When I make a connection to a lesson, I love to tell my students my personal stories or experiences especially traveling to different places. My students are so attentive and if I bring pictures, they can appreciate the story and lesson even more. Of course this leads to some students making their own connections and wanting to share their stories and experiences. And although not all students may have many opportunities to travel, they all have something to say and listening to their classmates tell a story makes everything very meaningful.

I don't know if I would tell every story and detail of my life, but if the situation called for it, I probably would share. I know some people, like my stepfather, who is not shy will share his stories about the past, but maybe because he is older and has nothing to hid. However, I will share my stories with my students if I feel it will make a lesson more meaningful.

When I was younger, I consoled myself with the belief that even though much of life and what was going on in it was beyond me and my control, at least there's someone out there, someone in power and control. As I grew up I came to question the idea that somebody somewhere knew what was going on and had the big picture and all our best interests in mind...I came to realize that society itself was moving faster and faster. But to where? Who's providing direction to this unstoppable (a human idea in and of itself) freight train we call life? This article reminds me that in the area of technology especially, we're in a big hurry to see if we can do something or control something or create something...without taking the time to ask, why should we? Why are we creating this? For what purpose? How will this further our species or quality of life? Take this article I read yesterday. They've created a drone quad copter and quipped it with a 80,000 volt stun gun (1). Brilliant! Have they not seen Terminator? Do they not know we already have military drones flying over US airspace (2)? Do we really want to outfit quad copters with stun guns? Just because we can doesn't mean we should, and that's what scares me about the increasing pervasiveness of technology in our personal lives. It's not just that Google or Apple knows my every move; it's that they sell that information (BIG DATA, BIG DATA!) and supply that information to businesses and governments I don't necessarily trust. Things are getting bigger and faster, and generally speaking from a historical perspective, that's not always a good thing. The more concentrated the power (in this case the data or tech knowhow), the more likely it's applications are to be counter to improving the human condition overall. I'm glad McCray points out the environmental impact all our neat devices have...the superfund sites and rare minerals involved in their production. We need to source our technology like we need to source

After the sticker shock of the private high school costs, I was able to focus on the many ways they are using collabortion! What I enjoy in collaborative efforts is watching the students justify their answers/opinions. That is going to serve them well in future jobs.

I think the tools we will be showcasing in this class could be one way. I didn't realize there were so many of these types of tools out there and I'm looking forward to hearing about more. It can be overwhelming, though. So, I'd pick one or two to focus on and get my students going on those.

Luis, I think teachers and administration would encourage more collaboration, but since everything is so data driven, they are weary of what that would do to their numbers especially in the upper grades. I like the idea of collaboration because like your article mentioned students do not all have to agree and they are able to challenge each others ideas. The opportunity to work with others gives everyone a chance to learn from one another, however there could be students who do not like being part of a group. My younger son sometimes does get frustrated when in a group, since he is just one of those who likes to work alone. http://www.districtadministration.com/article/benefits-teacher-collaboration

As a math teacher, I love having my students collaborate. However, I found that just throwing a group of students together and hoping for the best does not work. I found an article called "So Collaborative Learning Tips and Strategies for Teachers" that summarizes a lot of what I have learned in to have successful collaborate learning. Check it out, it is one that you might like to bookmark for future reference. http://www.teachthought.com/learning/20-collaborative-learning-tips-and-strategies/

Elizabeth, I had to laugh at your mentioning the sticker shock! I was thinking I must be in the wrong private school. Although my private school is in Texas, the Archdiocese of San Antonio decided to incorporate the instructional shifts of Common Core, especially the mathematical practices. I find that collaboration is strongly needed in satisfying these practices. Collaborating is essential in make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. (MP.1) and constructing viable arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others. (MP.3) One of my favorite activities is to put a challenging problem on the board and have the students collaborate in groups to solve it. Then the groups debate between themselves as to the correct answers. We have many lively discussions. http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Practice/

For me the best thing about collaboration is that it all fits well with the things that I feel work best in the classroom. I am a big proponent of scaffolding in the zone of proximal development. Problem based learning (PBL) and task centered learning (TCL) are two of my favorite scaffolding tools. Many of the web 2.0 tools we have seen this semester are excellent tools to help develop PBL and TCL experiences. The collaborative nature of many of the Web 2.0 tools lends itself well to learners helping learners and I think this is the best method of learning that we can foster in our classrooms whether they are online or face to face. Collaboration is great but it needs structure and guidance in order to be effective and have long lasting results.

I'd say I'm going to play devil's advocate here and argue what I don't really believe, but I'll be honest: I'm on the fence about collaborative learning. I know in this day and age disparaging collaborative learning is like arguing for ObamaCare in Texas, especially with Social Media and sharing tools everywhere - many, many of which I use and advocate - but working in a group sometimes frustrates the snot out of me, and I'm not alone. http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/archive/cl1/cl/story/middlecc/TSCMD.htm#speed Some people like to just get the work done on their own, at their own speed, without all the trials and tribulations of working in a group. Here it is, Sunday night, and my son and I are waiting to hear back on a video presentation due tomorrow for his 8th grade English class. Obviously they're done with their Staar test and have more time and flexibility than they did a couple months ago, but the teacher has instructed them to work together collaboratively on a video version of a book they read...completely outside of class. So having worked through the challenges of scheduling a shooting time for the raw clips, and the challenges of everyone voicing different ideas on what to shoot, how to shoot, how to operate and so on, we finally got all the raw footage put together Friday afternoon. I keep saying "we" because for some reason my wife didn't want my 13 year old son going over to someone's house and recording themselves shooting BB guns !? Anyway, we specifically agreed and confirmed with one kid, who volunteered to do the editing and put the video together, that we wouldn't wait till Monday to see it for the first time. I send him the footage clips in the form of a Dropbox link Friday evening. At 12:15 AM last night he says he just got them and will hopefully get the video to us sometime today (even though the sent email below showed he rec'd the email Friday). Same old small group story. I know there are times when we need to collaborate in the real w

Eric, I feel your pain. I have to say I remember those days when my kids brought group projects and were always waiting for the group to meet during the weekend. Like always dad had to help on Sunday night. Of course the main excuse they got from their peers was the lack of transportation. Luis made a good point when he mentioned the availability of Web 2.0 tools. With all these real time collaboration tools it should be easier for my youngest daughter once she gets to Middle School and HS.

Eric, I also feel your pain. My daughter ends up doing most of the work on collaborative projects. But I think with the tips in the link I left and teachers giving students time to work on projects in class, a lot of this pain we go through could be alleviated.

Eric, I believe the fault is not in the concept of collaborative learning but in the design of the collaborative project. How can there be a fault in any learning tool or style that works? When we look at anything we do or use in the classroom if that system fails it is usually a design flaw as a result of the creator. Power Point is a great example, I don't claim to be a power user of Power Point but I know what the system is capable of and I know when I have seen a really bad presentation. Collaboration is no different, it takes a great deal of thought and effort on the part of the instructor to create a successful collaborative exercise that can be used to scaffold a class or subject effectively. I think that if you went back and looked at the design of the project you could probably identify ways to make it better and make it work. If you do that you should send feedback to your child's teacher, let them know what the problem was for your child and give them feedback on how to fix it. Remember, teachers are learners too!

It would be very nice if our students learn to make eye contact with each other as well...:) I cannot tell you how many times a day, students stand at my desk waiting for me to read their minds as they converse on cell phones and listen to their earbuds...I am supposed to assume they would like to use a computer and sign them in. I like to just wait them out...and I frequently say, "Words are your friends! Use them to ask for what you want!"

I went to check my 18 year old son's cell phone usage and in one month he had 3143!! What do he and his friends text about is beyond me. Texting to him is so second nature, that he could with out a doubt do it without even looking at the keys. However, even with all his texting, he can hold a conversation. I feel this has to do with experiences that he has had in his life. It also helps that he is not shy. In the elementary level this not a big issue because they all love to talk not only to each other but to their teacher. I like the idea of having students use their phones to record themselves speaking, debating, etc... This is probably a good trial and error for anyone having to do any type of public speaking. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/03/text-messaging-texting-conversation_n_1566408.html

"Muzzle Memory" is what my daughter developed with her cell phone when I was trying to hold a decent conversation. Every time we had a conversation, she had to pick up her smart phone to check or send a text message. Her actions were not due to a rebellious attitude but to her muzzle memory. It's part of their life and I constantly see it here at my workplace. Many can't live without looking at their phone throughout the day even in meetings. I have to constantly call out people who are on their phone while the meeting is in progress. I find it hilarious when people get grumpy since their phone is nowhere near them for motivational support.

Thanks for the comments! So, what do you all think would be some ways to engage learners using both technology and human interaction? I like the way it is handled in classes I've taken through the EdTech program. I like using the technology to learn but I also like the fact that we get together 'live" and are able to interact with the instructors and each other.

Although texting may not teach our students how to converse well, there is a lot of technology out there that promotes the skills of a good conversationalist. Below is a link which the author talks shows how technology is helping in kindergarten. Jeff, I think there are many opportunities. For example, using Collaborate, Skype or Google Hangout with students to collaborate or giving feed back. http://smartblogs.com/education/2014/04/10/using-technology-to-enrich-kindergarten-conversations/

I have said it before but I think it is worth saying here again. I don't think the technology or even the format of the technology is the problem. the problem is our understanding or misundertanding of how the technology can and should be used. We have always had some form of short and to the point communication whether it was a bulletin board, an announcement or a short phone message. Short messaging and quick messaging have indeed become more prevalent but that does not mean that internet technologies can't be used to promote communication. We need to recalibrate ourselves and begin studying how best to use technology in promoting communication which in turn promotes collaboration and cooperation. It may well turn out that the communication of the future looks fundamentally different from what we have seen in the past but it doesn't mean it will somehow be inferior. In fact, if we consider just the ability to communicate information and respond to immediate concerns the communications system we have evolved (or maybe revolutionized is a better word) into today is in fact far superior to what we had available to us only 10 years ago. Often times we see something as a problem or an issue because it is not what we are used to or accept as the norm when in fact what we should be doing is looking for the opportunity that has just presented to us. I believe that as a society we are in one of those pivotal moments of paradigm shift. This is one of those periods where people will look back from the future and call it the "Age of ????" What they choose to call it will depend on their perception is of how well we handled the moment and how well we adapted to the new situation. Think back to the the bronze age and the revolution that metal working brought to mankind. Compare today to the age of steam or the industrial age. I believe the comparison is warranted and that in fact this may be a more important time in human development than some of those earlier "ages".

Great ideas to help teachers use technology in their classrooms!

This is a great article. All the sites will help keep my eleven-year-old busy. Technology is an everyday part of my home schooler's life, but she get tired of the same old sites. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of options, but this list will save time finding some that are worth while.

I love the ideas in this article. Thanks for sharing. I took a class a few years ago where each student was assigned a date to bring in a news article relevant to the class topic. Only one student brought in a newspaper clipping - the rest brought in videos from TedTalks and Youtube to share. These current events warmups and subsequent discussion were the best part of the class.

We might think that our students are digital literate, but are they? Take a look at your classroom, school, and district...are we preparing them to this 21st century digital technology awareness. Why aren't educators ready?

I agree... it's so frustrating to learn that so many of my colleagues are not keeping up and being aware of what students are learning. You know how they say, 90% of learning comes from outside of the classroom. I feel that so many teachers are "programmed" in teacher training programs to focus on the old ways and that has not been effective in making learning fun for today's digital literate students.

Summer, I agree with you. I think professional development needs to focus more on how to incorporate the tools available in the classroom I have always said that just because a student uses a device for games does not mean he/she is computer literate or knows how to safely use it for learning.

Gladys, why teach digital literacy is a hot topic! Part of that is digital safety! Our school had a federal agent come talk to the students about online predators and digital safety in general. We would all be surprised at what the kids don't know about online safety.

Ana, it sure is! I most definitely agree with you because I know of many teachers that are scared to incorporate technology into their classrooms. It is mostly because they are scared (of misuse--by students). Also, they feel that they are not properly trained and they don't find the time to use technology. Most educators think it is a waste of time. As years go by I am seeing that students now a day get extremely motivated when they get to use technology in their classrooms and they sure learn a lot of information. Great that your school brought someone to talk to students about digital safety!

How can educators get help in incorporating technology into their lessons? Students want the technology to be available, teachers think it is a waste of time...Educators are not updated...

Great article, Ana!!! I love how you selected an article that mentions topics that are covered in class.It is very important that student and teacher are digital literate. I've never heard the terms "digital natives" "digital literate" or digital immigrants," but I've heard others that imply the same. These "digital natives" may be able to navigate the digital world yet do not know where to go to look for sources lets say to help them with their homework. Sadly, there are "digital resistance" teachers/districts that are at fault. Yes, I made my own term for folks who are scared to use technology with their students and I can understand why. The internet can be very dangers, but that is why we should be encouraged to learn and teach internet safety. Just this week, the Professional Development admin at our district told me about sites that educators can use to "clean-up" videos from any marketing ads. We all know how these videos come with ads that sometimes may be inappropriate. There are some many tools and we are not taking advantage of them. Either we do not know or it is easier for us not to know about them. On another note. I loved the funny powerpoint video. It goes hand in hand with the text we are reading about. I may show share both the book and the video with my Boss who always gives me a hard time about my powerpoints.

Do you think by making Computer Science course mandatory that it will influence minorities to remain in the field?

How do you think this would work at your campus? What would the teacher and student response be like at your campus?

Brandy, I think it is amazing that you worked with your 5th graders on coding. It opens the students' minds to new possibilities and they learn to value working hard to achieve an outcome. 1. Yes, I think that Computer Science should be a mandatory course for graduation, because almost all jobs need interaction with computers. 2. Not necessarily. A few years ago I read a report where they mention that, in the case of Hispanics, a high percentage didn't go to college because of ideology. Most Hispanics believe in making their kids find a job after High School and this is why there are 4, 5 or even 6 Hispanic generations in the United States, and yet they do not send their kids to college. In the other hand, people that come or their ancestors came from Asia, now a days they send most of their kids to learn medicine, computer science, engineering, and any career that will give them a better life. I think that a Computer Science class will open up doors to all students, but we would have to work on their group ideology for them to have be able to really move forward. 3. My campus and my district is all about technology. This year we will receive more mini iPads for students and I heard that they were seeking for the financial means to give each High School student a laptop. But, there is one thing we have to consider as a society or civilization. There are many kinds of jobs, and we need all for the city to keep on functioning. Amazingly, companies are having an extremely hard time finding truck drivers. Their salaries in certain areas have gone so high that they are making more than a teacher with less hours of work. No matter how many people want to learn Computer Science, there will only be so many jobs in the field, and there will be spaces in others. What should we do as a civilization if at some point our products cannot find their way to the customers? Food, computers, furniture? I don't have a solution for this, but I think everyone deserves a chan

I think your comment about the ideology of Hispanics is something to consider. I taught in a Title I campus for many years, I did see a large family of hard workers with many of the Hispanic families. Not every child is going to go into the field of Computer Science but hopefully they will be proficient with computer skills. And yes, "The world needs ditch diggers too." Thanks for sharing! I had my student work on Code.org, where each level they have to complete a task before moving on and they provide video clips of people in the field. They loved it!

I do think that all students should get a "taste" of coding. There are great sites like code.org where students can see if they like it. Last school year, I found that some students moved ahead to harder levels quickly, while others stayed on the beginning levels. Some students went on to register for summer classes that taught them more. It was very exciting to see their interest sparked. At the very least, students should be exposed to the many facets of STEM and see where it may lead them.

I also saw that for some students the tasks were very easy while others needed more time and practice before completing the task. It was great to open their eyes to the way the games they use are created. I will look into more sites for my students to use this year.

Our country needs to "up its game" in STEM! We are definitely lagging in this area compared to many other countries. Offering opportunities to learn skills in coding may teach the critical thinking skills we need to reinforce to move toward a challenging learning environment.

I believe computer science is taking an important role in our future. I agree with code.org to promote coding or computer science in the early stages of elementary will spark the interest in students to learn coding, robotics and other computer science tools that will be beneficial for them as they go onto higher areas of education.

1. Yes, I do believe it should be mandatory for graduation, since jobs require people to be digital literate. Computer science is taking a high role in our future! 2. I don't think it will make a difference. But it will spark motivation on students. 3. My campus is not updated! We might be lost, but I think that everyone would collaborate to make it work and have us update.

What a powerful experience. Those students will always remember, their sharing and learning with others around the world. It makes me feel so guilty focusing so much on standardized testing, especially as it the time gets closer to test. Obviously there is so much more to a student's learning than just testing. http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/effects-standardized-tests-teachers-students-10379.html

That must have been an amazing experience for all those involved. Collaboration on a global scale offers so many opportunities for students and educators. Teachers collaborating with students as peers. Voices and opinions are shared across continents. Instructors learning from each other through sharing ideas on what it takes to become better partners in education. That sounds like exciting stuff. Araceli, I also agree that there needs to more to education that a high score on a standardized test.

I couldn't agree more about standardized testing. I saw a quote one time that stated, "teachers are required to differentiate instruction to students who need to pass a standardized test." Makes one think. Our campus is currently preparing for the Writing STAAR next week. Our 4th grade teachers are doing an awesome job at trying to keep it fun. For instance, they are calling this week Writing Boot Camp and keeping all things military. Wearing camo all week, moving up a rank each time they complete a mission (homework) and then holding a boot camp graduation (party) at the end of the week are just a few of the fun activities planned. My favorite is when they march up and down the halls chanting..... momma, momma can't you see, what 4th grade has done for me.....

Last year, I discovered epals.com. Epals.com is a safe pen pal program via the internet for classrooms around the world. Students can email and/or Skype. The best part is that classes around the world can actually work on projects together like the one in the video. http://www.epals.com/#!/main

Merrill, the Writing Boot Camp sounds fun. I would like to find fun ways to review math. We are at the end of our review week for the ITBS exams, and I can tell my students are burning out.

Brenda - I like the idea of students connecting with other students around the world. That in it self, is an education. I hope learning about other cultures, traditions as well as completing projects together will one day be more common for students as more technology advancements fill up our schools. There are always obstacles though like the lack of money, etc. On another note, we will be preparing for our STAAR Math in a few weeks. I've been tutoring Math and have found Pinterest.com a handy site for math games. http://www.pinterest.com/tlsafran/math-review-games/

Talk about thinking outside the box for this teacher. I can imagine the enthusiasm those students felt everyday they interacted with each other.

I enjoyed the video and particularly the teacher' purpose...connecting lessons to real world applications!

Merrill, thank you for the link.

Merrill, I love that idea of Writing Boot Camp. This gives the students a nice break from the same routine of passing the STAAR and only focusing on the test. I will definitely share this idea with my grade level and with 4th grade so maybe they can incorporate something fun like this for next year. Your students are very lucky that they have teachers who care enough to keep them motivated. Thanks for sharing.

This project will definitely keep the students interested and involved. Experiences like this enhance the learning process by expanding the classroom across continents. Students learn to solve real world problems by working together. Instructors can also share teaching strategies.

We too use Writing Boot Camps...we've noticed a huge correlation bt student's ability to write and their performance on other subject-area assessments, not to mention general weaknesses in writing TEKS. Each summer we do a Writing Boot Camp to help address those, and it seems to be paying off. Our scores have shown improvement!

How would you integrate technology in your subject area? Provide an example.

One way that I integrate technology in my subject area, math, is by using iPads in the classroom. One app that we use is MineCraft which allows the students to work collaboratively in groups of 3 or 4 on different math objectives that I give them to do. An example of an objective would be to create a house and to determine the surface area of the outside or inside of house. The students love to use this app and it proved invaluable last year as a carrot to keep them motivated and engaged. In addition one student from each group has to set up a server that his/her group mates need to join. This is another 21st Century skill that is useful to them. Brook

It would be beneficial if technology was incorporated heavily throughout all subject areas. I think this will happen in the future. Fortunately I teach DIM (Digital Interactive Media) and technology is incorporated into the class by default. My course and other technology courses have no problem incorporating technology. One of the main issues tech teachers have is how to incorporate the core curriculum into the class. For the past few years our department has been working closely with the science department and combined some science objectives into the technology objectives. For example, my department would use the Internet to complete science activities. The first year we saw an increase in student science scores.