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emrodriguez

Tips for Teachers Who Wish to Use YouTube in Classroom - EdTechReview™ (ETR) - 9 views

  • YouTube for Schools:
  • YouTube Edu:
  • It plays a significant role in the educational field as many students, educators and institutions discover and share excellent educational content here. There are  thousands of channels on YouTube specially for education. From basic concepts to complex experiments, YouTube enables Students and Educators to discover anything they want to learn as a part of their academic, curricular and extracurricular activities.
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  • About the AuthorAuthor: Santosh Bhaskar KWebsite: http://www.twitter.com/SantoshBhaskarKDevotee of Dr. Abdul Kalam. Following his path of Creating Creative Education in India. Contributing my works in "India Vision 2020". Former EdTech Blogger/Researcher at ETR India Administrators Educational Videos Teachers/Educators Tips for Teachers/Educators // // AdvertisementWhy this Ad? AdvertisementWhy this Ad? // AdvertisementWhy this Ad? [Infographic] Microsoft in Education: Adding Value to Experiences both Inside and Outside of the Classroom Why and How Should Educators and Administrators Use Google Apps Tips for Choosing and Using Educational Videos in Your Classroom // The EdTech Tweets E
  • About the AuthorAuthor: Santosh Bhaskar KWebsite: http://www.twitter.com/SantoshBhaskarKDevotee of Dr. Abdul Kalam. Following his path of Creating Creative Education in India. Contributing my works in "India Vision 2020". Former EdTech Blogger/Researcher at ETR India Administrators Educational Videos Teachers/Educators Tips for Teachers/Educators // // AdvertisementWhy this Ad? AdvertisementWhy this Ad? // AdvertisementWhy this Ad? [Infographic] Microsoft in Education: Adding Value to Experiences both Inside and Outside of the Classroom Why and How Should Educators and Administrators Use Google Apps Tips for Choosing and Using Educational Videos in Your Classroom // The EdTech Tweets E
  • Educators can share a YouTube video in many ways. Mailing the video URL, sharing it on social networking platforms and embedding it in your blog, website, Wiki, etc., are the numerous ways of sharing a YouTube video
    • emrodriguez
       
      For those who are educators, have you used YouTube in your classroom to supplement your instruction? If not, please state the reason why whether it be the site being blocked at your campus, not aware of the informational videos on the site, etc.
    • emrodriguez
       
      I think that sharing videos with your students is an effective way to supplement your instruction because the student may not be able to grasp the entire lecture during the time they have with you at school. Sharing a video can be done via email, on a social networking site such as twitter, or your personal blog. What benefits and drawbacks can you see to implementing this tactic in the educational setting?
    • emrodriguez
       
      Were you aware that a part of YouTube is specifically made to offer educational videos to its viewers? YouTube education offers a variety of educational videos posted by universities, private organizations dedicated to education, and companies such as PBS, National Geographic, and NASA. YouTube for Schools is a section made available to educators who can register using their school email address. These educators will then have have access to only educational videos and never have to worry about showing their students inappropriate material. It's even customizable to the educators likes and dislikes as to what they want to present to their students. Knowing that YouTube offers videos specific to the classroom, would you now be more likely to use this technology in your own classroom?
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    What do you all think about the use of YouTube in the educational setting? Do you believe it can be beneficial to instruction?
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    Any comments on the article about YouTube being used in the classroom?
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    When I worked for Brownsville ISD, YouTube was a blocked website. Therefore, no teachers used the site. I think that blocking off the website is detrimental to instruction when there is so much information available and nothing can be done with it. Fortunately, there are ways around this. Videos could be downloaded at home and shown in class. Of course, one should take the time to review the video to make sure it is appropriate and of course beneficial to learning.
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    I think sharing videos with students can be beneficial to them by having supplemental instruction in case they didn't understand the material during class. The link could be emailed to students via email or by setting up a YouTube channel specifically for your class. I think a good way to implement this would be to have administration give you the okay and of course, inform parents of what you are trying to do and get their consent. Once everything is good to, videos can be shared with your class. More time could be spent learning a concept, videos could provide more in depth information, and so much more.
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    Before I started my masters, I wasn't aware that YouTube had channels specifically made for education. They offer a great amount of information that can benefit all persons whether it be children or the elderly. These channels are a great source because the videos have already been filtered to make sure that you are only showing students appropriate and relevant material.
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    What does everyone else think about this article and the specific questions mentioned?
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    I've only ever encountered youtube videos used in graduate classes so aren't facing the issues of the other commenters. I think it makes a huge difference in attention. Being able to hear the words straight from the horse's mouth in a TedTalk or hear an author speak...etc. changes everything. The conversations inspired from a video talk were better than I think from articles.
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    @ tvisco. Yeah, I too have only encountered YouTube videos in my graduate education as well. As for the comments, videos can ban comments or approve them if they have those video settings set up. I do agree with you that hearing information straight from the expert is a big plus to these videos. Regardless, I believe that the videos can truly supplement instruction.
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    Does anyone else have anything they'd like to share regarding their thoughts/views on YouTube in the classroom?
Stephen Simon

MapSkip - Places Have Stories! - 6 views

  • MapSkip makes the world a canvas for our stories and photos.
  • It is an ancient human instinct to share our life stories with others, as the paintings and hand prints in stone-age caves show.
    • Stephen Simon
       
      Storytelling is part of being a great teacher. Making it relevant is part of being a great mentor. This is not always as easy as some think it is but for those who invest in the art of storytelling realize that that is how lasting memories are made. Think of going camping and sitting around the fire telling stories; what was it that made those memorable to you?
    • Janice Wilson Butler
       
      And charting your own adventures - I keep having trouble remembering where I ate a great food or saw a play, etc. I like when a tool can be powerful for personal reasons as well as for educational reasons.
    • Joe Pedraza
       
      This would be good for my 9 year old to track our summer vacation. He can take photos, videos and add the stories to the map. The MapSkip can even be linked to your twitter account allowing the user to tweet as you post stories. I think this for me would be a little too time consuming but overall great for users with time on their hands.
    • Don Martin
       
      I could see something like this being used in combination with a interactive timeline. You could put your history on the timeline and then use the map locations to tell the stories behind the events.
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    • Stephen Simon
       
      I do not agree that it is human instinct to share our life stories. The reason being that if everyone wanted to do that, no story would ever be heard. Do you agree with the premise that we, as homo sapiens, instinctually want to share our stories?
    • Merrill Redfern
       
      People share life stories for various reasons. They share stories in an effort to connect themselves or others with someone or something. To feel a belonging to something significant that will define or confirm their characteristics, attributes or identity. I do agree in that not every person instinctively wants to spill the beans about their life and does not need to share stories for fulfillment. Introverts have a difficult time telling stories and find it challenging or exhausting. However, I believe technology has set a forum for some introverts to "safely" tell stories in an environment in which protects them from the world they may find challenging.
    • Jeff Blackman
       
      Yes, I do think there is an instinct to share stories. Not necessarily to the whole world but at least to one other person. For example, our kids, spouses, families. People we are comfortable with - we want to share our stories - even the mundane ones like "how was work today?" It fills a need.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      I try to find ways to keep in touch or share my experiences with my kids back home and MapSkip offers that opportunity. I can share my experiences with my little girl especially when she has a school project due. Instead of sending pictures and or trying to explain a place via email or text, she can access my stories with her tablet at school.
    • Stephen Simon
       
      Using a tool like this one can lend itself to sharing with family as Jose has pointed out. Usually these stories are somewhat private and so long as you know that they are public, fine with me. If more people did this then perhaps some stories which are usually isolated to an individual could possible be cross-indexed to someone else. This would certainly give you some perspective on the story itself when told by different individuals.
    • eeverett3
       
      I believe that humans have a need to share their stories. That is how we make connections with each other and how we work out our differences in opinion. We are always trying to explain, share, and teach.
    • Joe Pedraza
       
      I believe that we as homo sapiens do want to share our stories, not necessarily instinctively but more subconsciously. Our subconscious is the storage of our knowledge and prior experiences. When we meet others that we have something in common with like an idea, or something that triggers an emotion, we feel a connection that triggers our subconscious to share this information.
    • Eric Folks
       
      OK people, I can't believe we're debating whether or not ppl like/need/want to share stories. Let's leave it at storytelling has been a part the human culture creation process since the beginning, but sharing stories is an individual choice. More importantly, so is the means by which we do it! Does MapSkip offer tools and services other sites don't? Maybe. But from what I can tell, this doesn't offer much more than Google Maps Engine (https://mapsengine.google.com/map/?pli=1)...other than another site we need to create, manage, and curate content on. Another option is Dr. Alice Christie's GoogleTreks (http://googletreks.org/). MapSkip seems cumbersome to me in comparison to some mobile options out there, like location-based posts in Twitter, G+, FB, and my favorite for this type of thing, Instagram. Here are some other apps for location-based maps/activity etc. http://www.slideshare.net/matteoroversi/beyond-foursquare-overview-on-the-best-location-based-apps
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
       
      Digital Stories were foreign to me. I appreciate the video that Simon posted, although it was a bit advanced for me. I have since found a website that gives a basic overview of digital stories with information on how to map them. http://maps.playingwithmedia.com/digital-story/
    • Olivia Basham
       
      I agree that story telling is what forms the basis for human culture. This tool looks like a fun and interesting way to do just that. Gosh it would be a fun way to share travel stories or even share reviews or tips for particular locations or venues for others on their travels.
    • Don Martin
       
      Brenda, Thanks for the link that clarifies the digital story possibilities. I agree that it can be a bit confusing and overwhelming at times. I think the key is having a good plan before you start. If you have a story plan then you can go and find the "places" you want to use to tell your story.
  • - Our Partners
    • Stephen Simon
       
      Check out this teacher resource who partnered with MapSkip.
    • Stephen Simon
       
      Capturing family history through stories was pretty much the only way to keep the story alive. Now you have new tools to make it live on. Investing in a flip-cam is great for impromptu video capture of a story. Many times my kids tell me that not everyone wants to be on video so I am more cautious when I take it and film. But what you get as a product is priceless as I look back at video of my father and realize how much I miss his stories.
    • Janice Wilson Butler
       
      This looks like a very interesting tool. I can see it being of great benefit for students who are learning English - a way to connect the English language to their own culture. It should be a cool tool for social studies as well - the discovery of the United States, the Pilgrims, etc. Or battles of the Civil War - so many uses!
    • Eric Folks
       
      Stephen, we invested in Flipcams a while back, about 5 per campus for check out via library. They discontinued support for them right after we bought them :( but they've nevertheless been useful for long recordings. Since so many now have smart phones, and the shorter the video clips often the better, the flip cameras are not used as much... I am curious how difficult (or easy) the workflow would be to add video resources to your MapSkip post. Might give it a try and let you know!
    • Eric Folks
       
      OK, so you can't upload a video (only add a YouTube video, which is easy enough to upload yourself), add a jpg image, and even upload a sound file (mp3), which I thought particularly nice. After exploring the features a bit more, I've got to say it's more capable and less cumbersome than I orginally thought!
    • Stephen Simon
       
      I thought that the capacity to narrate (mp3) was perfect for this type of We 2.0 tool. That way the story is not lost in all the extraneous material a video brings. But the youTube capacity adds an element of commercialization to the artifact which I don't like; especially in the classroom.
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    This is an ambitious method of story-sharing using integrated GoogleMaps with pins to denote where a story, with and without photos, can be posted and accessed.
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    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
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    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.
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    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.
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    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.
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    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.
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    I see this a good tool for students to map places they have explored that have personal value to them. For example, as a former boy scout, I would map places where we setup camp and document the skills I learned. This would later be used to reflect upon. I agree with Eric that they are other tools that are somewhat easier to use but for me it works fine.
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    It has occurred to me after reading all the comments, Dipity and MapSkip combined together could turn a student autobiography into one neat project! What a way to engage students to reflect upon the on the places and events of their lives.
Don Martin

Will Web 2.0 Technology Send Copyrights the Way of the Dinosaur? - 4 views

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    Interesting that an article about Web 2.0 Technologies that suggests that copyrights might be going the way of the dinosaur will not allow you to capture or highlight using a tool like Diigo.
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    Consider this statement from the article above: "The internet has made it cheaper and easier for authors and other creators to create material and make it widely available to a global audience. Critics of copyright law maintain that since it is cheaper and easier to produce a book, film, song or image, copyright protection is no longer necessary to protect and encourage creativity. They believe that by freely allowing a person to reproduce or adapt an existing work, creativity will flourish. This dichotomy is at the heart of the relationship between web 2.0 technologies and copyright. The nature of web 2.0 makes it easy for anyone to create an original work, to adapt or reproduce an existing work. Many of these creators have little knowledge or regard for copyright law. As a result many users are infringing copyright. Again, critics of copyright law argue that the law has been slow to adapt to how people are using copyright material and that the law should be changed to reflect this." Have copyrights outlived their usefulness? Why or why not?
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    Don, That site was very informative about all the issues of copyright. Before this class, I never realized how serious an issue copyright laws are and how easily they can and have been broken. The one item that stood out to me was "Using Material Created by Other People." It says those people who join your social network (for me it would be Facebook) and use pictures, videos, etc. have limited provisions. So all those pictures and memes need to be copyright? Something to think about and be wary of next time I share a picture/meme and I do not know who created them. Should those images be attributed or not shared at all. http://www.nyccounsel.com/business-blogs-websites/who-owns-photos-and-videos-posted-on-facebook-or-twitter/
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    I don't have Instagram or Twitter and I rarely uppload any pictures to my Facebook account. I wonder who is worse the NSA or these social networks.
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    Web 2.0 certainly adds to copyright confusion! Especially when people are sharing lists of links that contain so much information, however, it is always the researcher's responsibility to find and credit the originL source!
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    Araceli, the article that you posted was quite interesting. I never paid attention to the terms of social media websites like Facebook. It is scary to think that anything (i.e., picture, movie) a person posts to the website now becomes the property of Facebook and they can do anything with it as owner. Yikes!
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    Brenda, It is super scary. I have lots of my friends who are no longer on this social media. I now have it in the back of my mind, if and when I do post pictures, do I really want Facebook owning that image. Something that makes you go hmm?
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    The social media site doesn't "own" the content, what you are agreeing to is a license for them to use the content. The ownership stays with the creator. I find the contention by some that copyrights are no longer a valid way to handle content to be more troubling than Facebook or Twitter's licensing agreement. Just stay away from posting things to Twitter and Facebook or other social media site that you don't want other to have control over and your problem is solved. However, if we give in to the idea that copyright laws are outdated and that since it no longer is cost prohibitive to produce content we should just give up copyrights then we have a new and different issue. What happens to print, music, art, video and other media once it has been produced without copyright laws? Is there a better way to define copyrights that would be more in line with how content is shared and distributed today? Should we just bring an end to copyrights? Should we go the other way and try to rigidly enforce copyright law? Is that even possible in the social media world we live in?
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    Don, I found the site quite informative. Copyright on the web has become a complicated issue. As Araceli stated, websites can use what you post on the their sites. But what if what is posted infringes on a third party's rights. Could the owners of the website also be held liable. I know that people upload songs to Youtube. Is simply giving credit enough to avoid litigation? What if the author does not want their song upload on Youtube.
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    I have noticed when I upload videos to YouTube that it scans for copyrighted music and flags those videos. I uploaded a student created video that had a song off the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack in the background. YouTube immediately noticed it and prompted me to investigate, concede, or remove the video. With too many violations your YouTube account can be suspended or revoked. As impressive as it is that YouTube can scan all the content that is uploaded to it on a second by second basis, I've got to agree, managing copyright law is a bit of a nightmare in this day and age of social media. Facebook, G+, Twitter (and others) all want us to share, and often. But our culture reinforces this sense of immediacy and urgency that seems inextricably tied to online activity...how do we balance the two. I think it's clear we have a long way to go in this area.
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    Ibanuelos, very few artists don't want their music uploaded onto YouTube. That's how they make money now. For instance: If I make an educational video that used a third party song, YouTube gives me a chance to acknowledge any third party content that it flags (and it always catches it). Then, any ad money that comes from my video goes directly to that third party (all of it even though I added my own content) because their content has the preceding copyright. This is how Psy made his money. Every parody video that was uploaded to YouTube that contained his song had ads placed before it that paid him. He made 7 million in a year. "Giving credit" isn't how it works, YouTube's algorithms get the artist paid (and embeds a link where the song can be downloaded with another payment to the author). Now it's a different problem for movies...
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    Olivia and Ibanuelos make good points here even though they are on opposite sides. How do we protect those that do not want their songs uploaded on YouTube? Clearly as Olivia concedes there must be at least a "few artists" that don't want their music uploaded. It seems that most are probably happy with the licensing arrangement that YouTube has in place. The question remains though is copyrighting an archaic system that has not kept up with the innovations of technology? It is clearly very easy to get around a copyright and use the material in almost any way you choose with little or no consequences in the vast majority of cases. Would removing copyright restrictions on content produced using Web 2.0 Technology foster creativity?
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    Have copyrights outlived their usefulness? Given all the exploring and talking we have done this semester on copyright, I would have to say "no". Artists and creators should have some form of protection. Now, does copyright law need to be looked at and revised to apply to all of the stuff that is out there now? Yes, I think so. The problem is, our media landscape changes faster than anyone can come up with a standard.
robertogarcia24

Sales Enablement Solutions for Pharma & Life Sciences | Brainshark - 2 views

  • Accelerate Sales Training
  • Communicate Globally
  • Ensure Compliance
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    • robertogarcia24
       
      The reason for highlighting the three sections is because they are the main key as to why Brain Shark is an excellent Web 2.0 Tool for presentations for your selected audience. 
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    This video shows that a Web 2.0 Tool can possibly be one of the best solutions for teachers and businesses when creating a presentation for their audiences. 
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    I wanted to share a video that I made personally on how to create a Brain Shark using Brain Shark. http://my.brainshark.com/EDTC-6325-Video-4-728914160
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    Here is a video I created on how to create a Power Point using Brain Shark. http://my.brainshark.com/EDTC-6325-Video-3-679796334
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    Here is a video I created on how to create a Wordle using Brain Shark. http://my.brainshark.com/EDTC-6325-Video-2-868928955
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    Here is a video I created on how to create a GlogsterEDU using Brain Shark. http://my.brainshark.com/EDTC-6325-Video-1-672999007
ferrari78

Study: Emerging Technology Has Positive Impact in Classroom - US News - 5 views

  • Login Welcome, {{name}} Logout Rankings & Advice Education Health Money Travel Cars Law Firms News U.S. News Home education Facebook Twitter Education Rankings & Advice Home Colleges Grad Schools High Schools National Rankings State Rankings High School Notes Blog (function ($) { "use strict"; $(function () { var $metaCurrentState = $('meta[name=current_state_abbreviation]'), $headerSearch = $('#headerSearch-highSchools'), $headerState = $('select[name=bhs-school-state]', $headerSearch), $headerStates = $('option', $headerStates), currentStateAbbreviation = ''; if ($metaCurrentState.length > 0) { currentStateAbbreviation = $metaCurrentState.attr('content'); $headerStates.each(function () { var $state = $(this), text = $state.text(), value = $state.val(); if (text === currentStateAbbreviation) { $headerState.val(value); } }); } }); }(jQuery)); in
  • To meet the needs of her students, Roshan made radical changes to her lesson plans. Using Camtasia Studio, a screen recording and video editing program, Roshan uploaded her lectures to iTunes and assigned them as homework. "We've kind of reversed the whole dynamic of the class," she says. "Instead of lecturing in class, I lecture to them when they're at home, and we work problems together [in the classroom]. I liken it to an English classroom where the kids go home and do the reading and then they come into class and have this lively, engaging discussion."
    • ferrari78
       
      Using the Camstasia Studio program is a great and fun way for students to learn from lectures. Here is a link to where you can try it out for free. http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html
  • Taught with the video lectures, Roshan's students in the 2010-11 school year scored an average of 4.11 on the AP calculus test, compared to the 3.59 average among her students who took the test and were taught in the traditional classroom setting the year before. And a third of the class—a 10 percent increase from the previous year—scored a 5, the highest score a student can achieve on an AP test.
    • ferrari78
       
      Teacher's change in the classroom had a significant positive impact on her student's AP test scores.
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  • The report, IT Opportunities in the Education Market, revealed that 78 percent of K-12 teachers and administrators believe technology has positively impacted the classroom and the productivity of students. Roughly 65 percent of educators surveyed also believe that students are more productive today than they were three years ago due to the increased reliance on technology in the classroom.
  • Login Welcome, {{name}} Logout Rankings & Advice Education Health Money Travel Cars Law Firms News U.S. News Home education Facebook Twitter Education Rankings & Advice Home Colleges Grad Schools High Schools National Rankings State Rankings High School Notes Blog (function ($) { "use strict"; $(function () { var $metaCurrentState = $('meta[name=current_state_abbreviation]'), $headerSearch = $('#headerSearch-highSchools'), $headerState = $('select[name=bhs-school-state]', $headerSearch), $headerStates = $('option', $headerStates), currentStateAbbreviation = ''; if ($metaCurrentState.length > 0) { currentStateAbbreviation = $metaCurrentState.attr('content'); $headerStates.each(function () { var $state = $(this), text = $state.text(), value = $state.val(); if (text === currentStateAbbreviation) { $headerState.val(value); } }); } }); }(jQuery)); in
  • Jim Tracy, headmaster at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass., sees the "process of technology coming into the classroom as inevitable."
    • ferrari78
       
      Technology in the classroom is here to stay and students need to learn the necessary tools to not stay behind. Check this video out on how a teacher is using iPads in his math classroom. http://www.jamfsoftware.com/resources/hopkins-public-schools-advancing-technology-in-the-classroom/
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    This is an article about how a calculus teacher used technology in the classroom to help her students AP calculus test scores increase. I currently teach 2nd grade and I use the digital lessons for math, science, and reading to make the lesson more fun and get more participation from students and it works great. My question to you is, how would you use technology to impact your students learning and productivity in the classroom in a positive way?
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    Everyone that wants to integrate technology in the classroom should watch this.
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    Interesting examples. It's weird how if you record a video of yourself teaching, students pay attention but if you stand in front of the classroom, you're boring and invisible. But I accept it because I've watched myself do the exact same thing: a presenter shows a film of themselves and it's immediately engaging even though she's right there on stage in person! I've read some recent criticism of the Khan flipped learning video approach that says students are still learning passively, they're just doing it at home rather than at school. I disagree. As with the videos in our own class, I can watch them as many times as I need to understand what's going on. I like that. I don't think it's "passive" at all. The key seems to be having some work connected to it which is the piece I think some of these critics are missing. We're not watching a video for entertainment - there's always a task connected to it.
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    I believe that the article you selected is very interesting. I like how the article describes one particular math teacher implementing technology to improve her students' scores. It also gave another side stating that some districts simply don't have the funds to buy technology or that the budget should not be used to throw gadgets to fix certain problems. That teachers in certain areas would be better off getting better training. As with everything else, there are two sides to everything, but I do believe that technology has an effective role in the classroom. When I was a teacher aide for a special education unit, the teacher had me set up a SmartBoard, which proved to be beneficial to the students. A huge task for myself and the teacher was to keep the students on task and not let their disabilities hinder teaching. So after I set up the SmartBoard, the teacher used it during the students' social skills time. During this period in the day, students would learn how to act appropriately with others and the good behavior that was expected of them. By playing educational games against each other, students learned about what the teacher was explaining through a game and how to act accordingly with their peers. It proved to be an effective technology.
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    Tammy I completely agree with you how if we lecture to students, we're boring and invisible and their attention levels drop. I also remember when I was taking undergraduate courses, I had several instructors that were monotone and they made the class boring. Now, a few times I recorded the lectures and would later listen to them at home and I would get more from listening to the lecture at home than when I sat in class because I am not listening to it for entertainment, but rather to learn for my class. This class is a perfect example. I have to listen to the youtube tutorials on everything we've been learning over and over until I get it.
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    You're so right, school districts shouldn't throw money to try to fix certain things, but rather use the funds to better train teachers to prepare them for the classroom. My article states that school districts budgets range from $5 million to over $100 million so some districts are able to throw money at new gadgets and technology more than others. Gadgets should be purchased, but only if they are going to be properly used in the classroom to improve student's academic success. As for Smartboard, I'm going to look it up and see if maybe I can use it in my classroom. Good post Emmanuel.
Stephen Simon

Dipity - Find, Create, and Embed Interactive Timelines - 6 views

  • Dipity is a free digital timeline website. Our mission is to organize the web's content by date and time.
    • Don Martin
       
      Timeglider is another nice timeline application. There are actually a lot of great timeline resources. Timelines are a great tool that allows you to create linear content with embedded learning objects like pop-up text boxes, videos, pictures, sound files, and more. I've used timelines in my courses in the past and have even embedded them in presentations.
    • eeverett3
       
      This is a neat, free tool! I searched WWII and the Holocaust because I know that my 8th grade AP English teachers are about to start a project on this that will involve a timeline. I will share this immediately with those teachers! We will experiment with the students adding information to one timeline. I looked at the sources listed on one of the Holocaust timelines and that information was not very detailed so I will be looking closely at sources as I play! Thanks for the link, Stephen!
    • Joe Pedraza
       
      This tool can be integrated into the classroom, workplace or at home. Timelines are a great way for students to visualize what they are learning and engage in the lesson. Dipity would be great for history teachers. They can use the power of multimedia, social media content with trends like timestamps, geolocations and real time updates to bring the lesson to a life-like experience.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      Dipity can be a very useful tool for those students who have a difficult time being creative with school projects. As Joe P. mentioned, the use of social media will facilitate the need for students to think "outside the box".
    • Merrill Redfern
       
      This timeline tool is wonderful and can be integrated into the library as well. Each year our campus celebrates the author, Theodor Seuss Geisel's (aka Dr. Seuss'), birthday with book readings, book trivia, etc. I searched Dr. Seuss and found many interesting facts about the beloved children's author. What a great way to conduct an in depth study about him while incorporating history and literature.
    • Eric Folks
       
      Did you all see this post from Tech & Learning? Top 20 Sites and Apps for Creating Timelines (Feb. 21st) http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&entryid=7150
    • Merrill Redfern
       
      Thank you for posting the Tech & Learning link. Being fairly new to the technology of timelines I found this top 20 list very inspiring. As I sifted through the list of apps thinking about how I could implement such a great tool in the library I found the app TIMELINE. It's FREE :) and is practically effortless to navigate through. One can simply tap on the timeline at the location where you want to add an event including label, description and image. Projects can be saved in a file within the app and can also be sent out to others. I like the idea of my students conducting research on authors and creating a timeline of books published by the author.
  • Dipity allows users to create free timelines online.
    • Stephen Simon
       
      Drag the timeline around; there is some interesting content here but it looks largely aggregated. Have you tried integrating a timeline in your classroom with any success?
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
       
      Although I did not have the internet as a resource, I have had my students create mini-timelines using PowerPoint.  Each slide portrayed a different event and were in chronological order with dates.  My favorite was a timeline on the the battles and events of the American Revolution. Students were responsible for creating slides for different battles including sound and animation.  The slides were imported together into a class PPT. I don't think it will be something the students will forget.
    • Don Martin
       
      I have used timelines in my courses to teach the history of the Surgical Technology Profession and show the development of various technological innovations as well as surgical specialties. The interactivity of the timelines and the addition of a visual component to the information makes the timeline effective. Add in the fact that you can embed learning objects such as videos and links to other information and timelines can be very flexible and effective as a tool to help reach an objective.
    • Araceli Gracia
       
      I know it is horrible to admit, but I had no idea what a meme was so I had to look it up. If I am correct it is an idea that gets replicated and then evolves from sensations like famous people, videos, or certain phrases. http://thedailymeme.com/what-is-a-meme/
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    • Stephen Simon
       
      Internet Memes Timeline can provoke an interesting discussion on memes, how they get started, and what fuels their expansion. Is it possible to create a meme within a school?
    • Joe Pedraza
       
      A meme is an idea that is spread from person to person quickly. The internet has become the home for the modern memes. The use of email, instant messaging, social media allows for the spread of memes. Humor is a great way to create a new meme. I think it is very possible to create a meme within a school. It's easy to pass along a meme to your colleagues by email. I have included a link to the top internet memes. (http://netforbeginners.about.com/od/weirdwebculture/tp/The-Best-Internet-Memes.htm)
    • Eric Folks
       
      Timeline Maker claims to have the interactive capabilitites of Dipity but with the ability to integrate your timeline into Power Point and other MS programs. It is $125 however...this is a one-time cost and not a yearly subscription. http://www.timelinemaker.com/
    • Stephen Simon
       
      This is an example of a broken-link and is usually a sign that the site is not maintained regularly. I consider it a red flag. It is just one more thing that can make you nuts. We all have our pet peeves; what is yours?
    • eeverett3
       
      I agree with Brenda that timelines are a must in history classes; however, I think they are just as valuable in researching biographies in all subjects and as tool for building relationships with students. When elementary children create personal timelines, they see the connections between all their lives and what common stories and events they share.
    • Stephen Simon
       
      Yes timelines are the most applicable to history and perspective. Great app!
    • Eric Folks
       
      Life is really about turning points, and so is history. What better way to make them come alive than through the creation of interactive timelines! Araceli Gracia nailed it: what a perfect storm of events that must fall into place for an indvidual to become a US president...what better way to highlight these turning points than Dipity!
  •  
    Timelines are an excellent tool to get the "big picture" of an event, or events. I have always liked using it in projects that participants can study and formulate time-based concepts.
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  •  
    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/
  •  
    Besides Presidents, timelines can be used to deepen our understanding about any person. Seeing a person within a specific era, can help up better understand the thinking process of that person. Furthermore, it can help us really appreciate the uniqueness of people who think outside of the common thinking of that time.
  •  
    Dipity can be power tool in the classroom. Integrating pictures and video in a timeline can enhance retention. Dipity add multimedia to instruction. Both visual and audible learners will benefit. I remember one of my teacher in middle school discussing how bills become laws by showing us a "School House Rock" video. To this day, I can still sing some of the lyrics to the songs in the video.
Brenda Wohlfeil

Is Google Making Us Stupid? - Nicholas Carr - The Atlantic - 8 views

  • My mind isn’t going—so far as I can tell—but it’s changing. I’m not thinking the way I used to think. I can feel it most strongly when I’m reading. Immersing myself in a book or a lengthy article used to be easy. My mind would get caught up in the narrative or the turns of the argument, and I’d spend hours strolling through long stretches of prose. That’s rarely the case anymore. Now my concentration often starts to drift after two or three pages. I get fidgety, lose the thread, begin looking for something else to do. I feel as if I’m always dragging my wayward brain back to the text. The deep reading that used to come naturally has become a struggle.
    • eeverett3
       
      The first question this article raises in my mind is...are other people feeling like this? that books and long articles are becoming too difficult to read?
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      When I am sent off to training and I know I will have limited connectivity, my laptop stays in my bag. I use this time to read articles which I print out or just simply read a book. If I have connectivity, my concentration to simply read articles or a textbook would be lost because I want to get to other class assignments or simply surf the net. To me its just a mind over matter.
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
       
      After reading/working on the computer for long periods of time, I noticed I get jittery.  I was concerned about it, so I searched the internet for answers.  I came across Linda Stone's video and website.  She has studied attention, health and technology.  In the video she talks about continuous partial attention, which is a form of multi-tasking.  Ms. Stone's research has shown that we have become hyper alert to scan for every possible input and opportunity.  In another words, we don't want to miss anything.  And this puts us in an artificial state of constant crisis.  Amongst many physical changes from this artificial state, including jitteriness, our minds find it hard to focus. (Linda Stone-May I Have Your Attention Please?, http://internoobs.wonderhowto.com/inspiration/linda-stone-may-have-your-attention-please-0128197/) So I have to wonder, is it that we just don't have the patience for reading long books, or are we in an artificial state of constant crisis that makes it impossible for us to focus?
    • eeverett3
       
      I actually have a student this year who cannot use the computer at all because it causes seizures for her! Scary!
    • Olivia Basham
       
      This particular quote reminds me of an Aristotle quote: "We are what we constantly do, excellence isn't an act then, but a habit." It seems that Mr Carr is mistaking habits for permanent brain changes.
  • And what the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation. My mind now expects to take in information the way the Net distributes it: in a swiftly moving stream of particles. Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski.
    • eeverett3
       
      I really like this analogy of finding information online. I often feel like this and in my library, I see students seraching so rapidly that I wonder if their research is effective.
    • Araceli Gracia
       
      I know that I am guilty of telling my children to "Google It" when I don't know something right away. It is quick way of getting answers to what we are not sure about. But how else would students get their information. Unless they have a set of encyclopedias, it would prove difficult to search. Long articles are more tedious to read than difficult I think. Its a matter of time that doesn't allow for reading so they are just being glanced at rather than being fully understood.
    • Merrill Redfern
       
      The analogy provides an excellent mental picture of what searching online looks like in the 21st century. This analogy also reminds me of times in my library, while locating a book for a student, by the time I have tracked down the book a student can't absolutely live without they have already changed their minds on what they are interested in. Amazes me on how fast students can "switch gears," which is what (among other things) the Internet searching is creating in our student population.
    • Eric Folks
       
      I've got mixed feelings on this. It seems counterintuitive that we should take advantage of the resources we have at hand, be it Google or some mobile device, and that we should teach our kids to do the same. How many technologies and advances in the past have changed the way we find, process, and share information? Each was met with resistance and criticism and also a bit of excitement, but eventually, they came to be seen as valuable tools for learning. While I think the same can be said of modern technologies, I do have some reservations about the concentration and scale of control companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook and the like have over society's day to day interactions. "Big data" and the way it's being used should give everyone pause, as they really boil down to refining the manipulation process. If we spent as much time teaching digital literacy and critical thinking (helping young to old be more aware of forms of manipulation, propaganda, and logical fallacies), I would be more likely to say (with some checks and balances and oversight), it's ok for these companies to provide us with goods and services specific to our needs and wants. The problem is we are witnessing both the growth of big data and the growth of technology dependence at the same time. Is technology becoming the modern day "opiate of the masses?" It just may be... More and more parents are using technology to babysit their children, enough so that pediatricians are pointing out the writing on the wall: this overuse of technology is excacerbating ADD, ADHD, childhood obeisity, and more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cris-rowan/10-reasons-why-handheld-devices-should-be-banned_b_4899218.html Personally, I have my kids complete a technology challenge every day before they're able to get on technology for gaming and entertainment (which we are now limiting to 1 hour). Most of these technology challenges involve them using technology as a creation tool, and I've got to say, it's working!
    • Stephen Simon
       
      The Net does chip away at your capacity for concentration, contemplation, and criticial thinking because we let it. The information on the Net is only that; you still have to decide if what you are reading can how water. I think it is important to approach search engines, like Google, by learning to structure a query followed by what storehouses of data we know to have veracity.
    • Don Martin
       
      It may well be that the problems we are seeing as being created by the internet and the accessibility of information are actually caused by us as instructors and not by the medium itself. As instructors it is our job to find appropriate resources and appropriate uses for the information that is so readily available today. Through the use of Web 2.0 Technologies we need to find ways to create depth of information by inspiring our students to dig deeper and helping them in the development of their critical thinking skills.
    • Olivia Basham
       
      While I love Mr. Carr's use of metaphor (scuba vs jet ski) this kind of argument via analogy is fallacious at best. You know what else challenges concentration and contemplation? Sports. They are just the same kind of rapid-fire informational experiences as "surfing the net" can be. No one would challenge the value of sports to a child's mind (or an adults for that matter) because it brings it's own skills and rewards. I think we confuse the situation when we try to compare un-like things.
  • It is clear that users are not reading online in the traditional sense; indeed there are signs that new forms of “reading” are emerging as users “power browse” horizontally through titles, contents pages and abstracts going for quick wins. It almost seems that they go online to avoid reading in the traditional sense.
    • eeverett3
       
      I wonder if reading habits are changing and if this is good or bad...how will it affect students and educators?
    • Araceli Gracia
       
      In the article, it mentions how texting has made it more important about being efficient and immediate which then weakens our capacity for reading. This stood out to me because this past weekend I went to help my mother send a text message. My mother does not text, she believes in the old fashion ways of speaking with people. So my 10 year old said he would help her create the text. Of course my mother wants to put capital letters, punctuation, and proper grammar. He was telling her, you don't have to do that, just put in "u" for "you". She was so shocked that he was telling her that, she was like no I have to have my name with a capital letter.
    • Merrill Redfern
       
      In my experience, many students are obtaining just enough information to get by and not digging deeper into a subject where it could be meaningful. The internet provides the perfect forum for this. The "grab and go" mentality. Some would argue the amount of time placed on educators is a determining factor for teachers to "power browse" information. I believe there is some truth to that but above all, the internet has significantly changed the way we search, think, communicate, teach, plan and recall information.
    • Eric Folks
       
      I see power browsing and recreational reading as two different activities...when I want to relax, I read (digital or print makes no difference as long as the device is light and I can adjust the brightness). When I want to stay on the cutting edge of my chosen profession, I power browse and experiement.
    • Don Martin
       
      It seems to me that the real problem may be related to something deeper. We have been told for so long by so many that we need to be good "multitaskers" that we have spent a great deal of time and energy on trying to do just that. Recent studies show that humans don't really multitask on any effective level and that when we do try to multitask our work and thought processes suffer for it. Here is a good article from Time Magazine about multitasking and its negative effects: http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1174696-1,00.html
    • eeverett3
       
      That is a great article,Don! I am glad to see that what I am yelling at my teens all the time is backed up by research! "When people try to perform two or more related tasks either at the same time or alternating rapidly between them, errors go way up, and it takes far longer--often double the time or more--to get the jobs done than if they were done sequentially, says David E. Meyer, director of the Brain, Cognition and Action Laboratory at the University of Michigan: "The toll in terms of slowdown is extremely large--amazingly so." I worry about the multitasking all the time...has anyone seen the tv show "Brain Games"? I think that really illustrates the hazards of multitasking....
    • Stephen Simon
       
      I now have better understanding of the long view of cognition and how technology impacts it. Socrates opposition to the printed word was no different than a parent restricting internet access for their children; the capacity to properly learn the learning tool, left to its own device, is largely lost.
    • Brenda Wohlfeil
       
      I find myself mostly power browsing on the Internet, but I find it is difficult to do much more because of the back lighting.  The back lighting easily tires my eyes. For long articles that I need to digest, I prefer printing them out to read.   Here is an article on computer vision syndrome: http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/computer-vision-syndrome Possibly future screen technology might alleviate eye fatigue. Eizo is a company that is already working on creating screens to help with eye fatigue.  Here is their latest product: http://www.eizo.com/global/library/basics/eyestrain/
    • Olivia Basham
       
      Brenda, thank you for sharing this! Eye strain and visual fatigue are really big problems for me and other persons with dyslexia.
  •  
    Here is an article that discusses the use of current technology and how it may affect the brain.
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  •  
    I hope that everyone had a great Spring Break! Here is the article that I would like to discuss in Diigo that week. :) EE
  •  
    The article makes several points. Technology has changed how we think and measure our abilities. For example, as a computer technician, I always tell clients that I can solve their issues even if I haven't the slightest idea how to do. I just hope that someone else around the world has posted the solution on the internet. Thank you Google. So if the internet wasn't available I don't think I would feel as confident doing my job everyday.
  •  
    Luis, I have used You Tube so many times when trying to learn how to do something. I have even used it for this course when I need that extra tutorial. For example, if Stephen had not been kind enough to post a video on how to install Java on Screenr, I would have struggled so much more. Technology comes with the good and the bad. My older son learned to play the piano from the internet while my other son just wants to watch videos. So like everything in my life, there has to be a happy medium.
  •  
    I'm inclined to believe that the problem is not with the technology but with how we adapt to it. In the past the rate of technology development has given us time to assimilate it, analyze it, and employ it. The problem with computers, the internet and all the associated electronic technology is that by the time we figure out what it is and what it is good for it's already changed. Given time we will figure out how to deal with the speed of change but in the meantime it means some struggle on our part as humans and as instructors in determining what is of value and what is not, what that value is, and how do I use it to my benefit and the benefit of my students?
  •  
    Here is an article that discusses the use of current technology and how it may affect the brain.
  •  
    Araceli, I too use YouTube for learning how to do stuff. Just last week, I needed how to embed videos into a webpage for another project. Sure enough there was a video posted on how to do that. I believe that technology affects both the learner and the teacher. Instructors expect that students use these tools and have the ability to learn how to implement.
  •  
    Google puts tremendous amounts of data at our fingertips. This data needs to be interpreted. This is a important skill that must me taught to students. Not everything posted on the net is correct. I think this teaches students to be more critical of they read.
Janice Wilson Butler

Free Technology for Teachers: Video Creation Resources - 7 views

  •  
    How to use videos in the classroom.
  •  
    Wow! lots and lots of video resources that I had never heard of. Screen toaster caught my attention. It's very easy to use. All these free resources for editing, recording. It's awesome. thanks
Merrill Redfern

How Technology Trends Have Influenced the Classroom | MindShift - 8 views

  • let’s examine which features of society (and media) have changed and then consider what we can do in education to use it as an advantage for learning.
    • Merrill Redfern
       
      I like the author's approach to this article. Bringing the two worlds together (society and education) with a commonality is an example of thinking forward.
  • As students, we learned to play the game of “know your audience” when it came to writing a paper for a certain professor. Our purpose was writing for writing’s sake. Now we no longer have to limit ourselves to one recipient. Our students have access to a global audience and don’t have to write just to please one teacher. They can write based on what they see and believe to be true.
  • One of the greatest challenges to the classrooms of today is mobile technology. Do we fund a 1:1 program? Allow a Bring Your Own Device policy? Won’t this just add the distraction of the outside world into a classroom?
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      As a parent, I would not oppose for my daughter to take her tablet to school. She carrys her tablet everywhere and is always reading. This has helped increase her reading skills. I am not saying this works with every child but its time we left the "seat time" concept behind.
    • Merrill Redfern
       
      Jose - I agree. My 10 year old daughter also carries an Ipad around with her. I would not be against a "bring your own device" policy to school if the proper policies and procedures were in place, even for the elementary level. In a lot of cases, bringing in the outside world into education could be of significant benefit. While working with our school Ipads yesterday, I took a poll in two of my kinder classes on who had some kind of tech device at home (not mom or dads, but their own). More than 1/2 the class raised their hands and proved their skills with a library Ipad. The poll provoked some thought, it is more important than ever to provide 21st Century learning opportunities for the younger grade levels as well.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      At first, I had mixed feelings about the "bring your own device" concept until I started learning how to use a digital device in a classroom with the help of my EDTC graduate courses. I had an old school mentality until last semester when my flip phone gave up and I made the transition to a smart phone. This transition made me realize it was time to allow technology in the classroom.
    • Olivia Basham
       
      While I find 1:1 policies laughable (I have yet to see a school district not lose millions of dollars on these kinds of programs), I think that BYOT policies are great, as long as the teacher has some technology (I have a set of netbooks) that students who are without their own device can use. I DO think this brings the outside world into the classroom, but I also think that this is a good thing. And those teachers who find the outside world to be a distraction can still use technology; they just need to use closed systems like Edmodo.
    • Don Martin
       
      While my students are older than what we are typically talking about here I have tried to incorporate the use of personal electronic devices in the classroom for some time now. For example, I have on occasion sent my students on an internet scavenger hunt for items or information related to the content of lecture. One of the impediments to using personal electronic devices is the disparity of quality and capability based upon cost. To get around that I try to have the students work in groups using whatever devices they have available to them in their respective groups. This also creates an opportunity for collaboration.
  •  
    Merrill, I like the idea of Flipped Teaching, where lessons are recorded and then viewed later in the classroom. I am not sure how I would feel hearing myself give the lesson, but the kids would love it. I am sure my students get tired of hearing me give a lesson, but if I was recorded, they would possibly be more engaged with the lesson simply because I am on the computer. It is very noticeable when we do online activites, compared to just lecture, that they are more attentive. As far as the 1:1 program, I teach 3rd grade, so our district does not "allow" that type of technology in the classroom. Students bring cell phones anyways, but to use them in the classroom is not ok. Budget is always a concern on my campus, so we do not have enough technology, such as kindles and iPads, for every student. We can request them ahead of time, but that is only for the day. I can understand how it may be a distraction in the classroom, like being on other programs or texting with others. However, for the most part, students would do what the lesson call for. They would much rather do the lesson on their phone, kindle, iPad, etc, than on paper. http://www.usnews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2011/07/14/study-emerging-technology-has-positive-impact-in-classroom
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    I teach math, and although I don't flip my classes, I provide videos or links to videos for my students to watch at home. Videos have been a good resource for my students, especially those who miss class. My favorite sites for finding videos are Kahn Academy and LearnZillion. https://www.khanacademy.org http://learnzillion.com My school has also banned student devices due to the misuse of them in school. I find it frustrating and would love to hear how other schools have handled students using their own devices to school.
  •  
    The reason I like videos and links is so that students have access to the learning when they decide to learn it! I see way to many high school students wasting their class time and hope that they have the video or link listed somewhere when they finally see that the lesson was important not...that being said, it is crucial that the lessons we are tying to teach are important! Real world applications again...not just tests.
  •  
    I come from a corporate perspective and would definitely like to bring more of these types of concepts to the adult "classroom" or training situation. I think kids "get it" more, though. I notice that the adults all around our company still have trouble with just basic computing skills. So, while I'd love to adopt more mobile type learning, I wonder how it would be received. For my kids, I think they'd really accept it because they are so used to all of these devices.
emrodriguez

USING TECHNOLOGY TO PERSONALIZE LEARNING IN MATH EDUCATION - 5 views

  • Challenge One One of the most common challenges math teachers face is having a classroom full of students with varying levels of comprehension
  • Solution A:
  • Solution B
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  • Challenge Two Another common challenge facing teachers, especially given the pressures of high stakes testing and large class sizes, is keeping track of each student’s areas for growth. Once again, when leveraged appropriately, math technology can support targeted and personalized instruction by enhancing a teacher’s ability to keep track of student achievement data.
  • Solution A:
  • Solution B:
  • Challenge Three The final challenge we are going to explore is absent students and teachers. When a student is absent it is very difficult to find the time to catch them up on the material they have missed. Leveraging math education technology in this instance is ideal.
  • Solution A:
  • Solution B:
    • emrodriguez
       
      I have to agree with the fact that there will always be varying levels of comprehension and teachers must find ways to reach all students. Technology can be used to split the classroom so that those students who are behind can self pace. Technology can also be used to keep students active for those who are advancing quickly.
    • emrodriguez
       
      Another challenge that teachers face is keeping track of each student's individual progress. Software programs can keep track of each student's progress so that the teacher can review. With this information, teachers can intervene and help students with the particular part of math they're falling behind on.
    • emrodriguez
       
      Since it is almost for sure that either students or teachers will be absent, technology can be implemented to help instruction on these particular days. Tech can be set up so that students know what to review for the day when the teacher is out. If students are absent, the teacher can use technology to send the material through email or web 2.0 services so that students don't fall behind.
  • Solution B:
  • Solution A:
  • Solution A:
  • Solution A
  • Login Facebook Subscribe Tablet Version Blogging Newsletter Video Gallery Photo Gallery &nbsp; Issue 16.3 | Winter 2014 Southeast Education Network Current Issue Issue Archives Subscriptions Our Mission: to reinvigorate the spirit of American education Published By Other Publications: Carolina Fire Rescue EMS Journal The Griffon 108 Our Mission: to reinvigorate the spirit of American education Home Issues Current Issue Articles Archives Article Categories Resources Industry Links Advertiser Links Buyer's Guide Book Reviews Conferences Special Features Company Profiles Product Reviews Health &amp; Wellness Education Travel Job Board Contact Us General Information Advertise About SEEN Our Mission Testimonials <div id=
  • Solution B
  • Solution A
  •  
    This article is about using technology in the classroom to supplement instruction in the field of mathematics. It describes common challenges that math teachers face and solutions that can be taken to resolve these problems using technology.
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  •  
    This is a great article about implementing technology into a math classroom to resolve the common challenges of these particular educators. From a student's perspective, I wish these tactics would've been around when I was taking math classes.
  •  
    Great work, Emmanuel! I truly enjoyed the article. It was nice to read that there are easy solutions to 3 of the most challenges educators face daily. I liked the idea offered in Solution A to Challenge #1 - split the class into 2 groups. One meets with the teacher for direct instruction while the other group works on math activities on a device. It was also nice to know that there is software out there to keep track of data for the teacher. More importantly, I was pleased to read that there are technology programs available to students/ teachers who are absent. These programs help students learn lessons they have missed so long as they have internet access. The programs also help teachers when they are absent. Students are familiar with the programs and can use them and continue to learn when the teacher is out.
  •  
    Thanks, Rosalyn! I enjoyed the article as well. I like how all of the problems are realistic while the solutions are simplistic. I would have never thought to have students that are behind to watch math videos to catch up while the others receive direct instruction. I too thought it was convenient to have software available for students to work on when teachers are absent. Most days that teachers are absent, students lose on instruction. By having this technology in place, students could use the technology to catch up while the teacher is out or use the day to get ahead on lessons. Thanks for the response, Rosalyn.
  •  
    Great article - and not just for math teachers. It really spells out the three basic teaching challenges of modern classrooms. I like that that article values teaching kids how to learn independently as a skill in and of itself. I have a teacher friend who explained to me that when she used the term "independent learning" with her 7th graders they didn't know what she was talking about until she explained it to them. They were also confused by the idea of following their own interests in learning when given the chance rather than being told what to learn. They're getting it now and some, especially in her accelerated classes, love doing it!
  •  
    @ Tammy Visco. I too enjoy the aspect that students get the opportunity get the chance to learn independently whether the teacher is out or they are working on computer modules. I think the ability to learn independently is a great asset to have because it builds upon your motivation and will to want to learn without having someone tell you learn. It's similar to our educational technology degree because we are given the necessary guidance to do what we have to and we take it from there. While the article does use a math classroom as reference, I believe that the principles are universal. If a teacher is out, students can work on modules. If particular students are falling behind, they can work on modules to catch up. Just a great article and I'm glad I came across it.
Maria Ing

Mixing it Up with Mangahigh: Using Games to Differentiate Instruction | Edutopia - 8 views

  • Tip #1: Pre-Assessment - Know What Your Students Know and Can Do
  • While the students are playing, I will note which ones are struggling with the prior knowledge, and which ones quickly master it and are ready to move on. Using my notes and Mangahigh's teacher reports, I'm ready to plan lessons that precisely target the needs of the majority of students. I can also plan interventions for those who need them, and challenges for those who are ready.
    • Maria Ing
       
      Pre-Assessments are great tools to help identify strong and weak areas for students. Do you feel that online games could better assess student abilities and allow for more differentiated instruction than a paper and pencil pre-test or a "KWL" chart? Please explain your answer.
    • textraveller
       
      Of course the answer isn't going to be back and white, but my answer would is "Maybe." Online games definitely address the issue of student motivation more effectively than KWL charts. I find KWL charts get old really quickly for students, just like anything you do over and over. So as teachers we try to switch it up, add variety, etc. An effectively designed online game could be a great change of pace. It seems like there would be a learning curve for the teacher as well, though. The teacher would have to get used to being able to quickly assess student progress on the screen. Depending on the game, that may or may not be possible. - C Hilgeman
    • ksspurgin
       
      Does anyone else ever feel like pre-assessment (I mean the kind that really gives you valuable data), takes more time than you have to give it? I always feel pressured by the amount of content that must be covered before the STAAR test. Pre-assessments and differentiating instruction are things I do but I don't think I do them all that well simply due to a lack of time. This online game might be a helpful tool and yes, I do believe it would probably give more accurate information than a KWL chart. With the KWL charts students share too much information with each other.
    • Maria Ing
       
      Thank you C. Hilgeman, I think you make a good point. No matter what you do, if you do it over and over, it gets boring. I think even if they played the same games repeatedly they would get bored. If the program that they are talking about in this article allows for a variety of games and continues to challenge, then maybe it would prevent the mundaneness of doing the same thing all the time. ksspurgin, I think the pre-assessment does take a lot of time. I know that I don't give one because in order to cover all my material required by testing I really need to start my material on the second day of class. That leaves no time for pre-assessment. I think if I had an electronic pre-assessment like the game, it would be much easier because it could process the data for me versus me having to take time to do it when I needed to be preparing materials for the six weeks.
  • Tip #2: Formative Assessment - Know Your Curriculum
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  • Prodigi quiz engine satisfies my hunger for data, allowing me to collect data during class, as well as review it later through reports and a gradebook. And by circulating during class, I can support students with targeted feedback. After class, I can check their high scores and the amount of time spent on task, and see which math problems were causing the most confusion -- which helps me plan better lessons in future.
    • Maria Ing
       
      Formative assessment allows teacher to informally "test" students on their understanding of concepts. It also allows for the identification of misconceptions or misunderstandings. Please share a formative assessment strategy you are familiar with. Do you think that using a educational game such as the one in the article would be more, less or have the same benefit to the teacher and students as "traditional" formative assessments?
  • In my classroom, the difficult goal of differentiated instruction is made easier by games and data. While a new generation of classroom tools, like Mangahigh's games and adaptive quiz technology, give me both of these ingredients in one place, it's all about how the teacher uses games and data to effectively differentiate instruction.
    • Maria Ing
       
      Differentiated instruction is not a new term, it has been around awhile. I think most teachers still struggle with differentiating instruction enough to reach all levels of learners in their classrooms. I hope that as technology progresses and becomes more readily available, especially in the educational realm, it will be a problem that won't be so difficult to solve.
  • When students are in the Goldilocks zone, the game keeps them there, progressing at just the right pace to keep them challenged and engaged.
    • Maria Ing
       
      I love this term, "Goldilocks zone" to describe what they call the "sweet spot." It is a challenge in every class to find this pace for each student. I always seem to have some students who breeze through the material, which makes me feel it may not have been challenging enough. On the same token, I have students in the same class that are struggling and expressing that I am going to fast. I think if I could have a educational game that challenged each student at their proficiency level and allowed me to be sure each of them got the attention and support they needed to obtain the knowledge needed, I would be ecstatic!
  • Tip #3: Goldilocks Principle - Find the Sweet Spot
    • Maria Ing
       
      Watch this video about using online math games to differentiate instruction.  Educators in K-12 are expected to vary instruction based on a students needs and abilities.  What are some ways that you have successfully differentiated instruction in your classroom?  If you are not a teacher, give an idea of how you think instruction could be differentiated.  
  •  
    Many digital natives, which are today's students, play video games. They are many supporting facts that video games can enhance student learning. Of course the learning will depend on the design of the game. As the video shows, video games can be designed by the teacher that is linked towards learning goals. To add, video games can be a strategic which may be challenging to the mind - increasing mind power and learning.
  •  
    I fully agree, games are only as useful as much as they connect to the content that we are trying to teach. If the game is designed well, students can learn a lot from it because it caused repetitive practice of concepts.
cinthia_sierra

Five Ways To Bring Technology into the Classroom Without the Gadgets | Alisa ... - 7 views

  • Technology was originally idealized as the panacea for our nation's "failing schools"
  • The reality is in the middle: Technology is not a panacea, but used effectively and implemented purposefully, it can help transform how our children experience school.
  • For us, having our students engage in real-world learning experiences is a priority, so we utilized technologies like video-conferencing that enabled making those connections.
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  • at the iSchool we leveraged teachers' strengths by having some focus more on planning and curriculum development, some focus more on online course design, some on facilitating our challenge-based courses and some supporting struggling students.
  • Schools can combine resources to offer more Advanced Placement or credit recovery courses.
    • cinthia_sierra
       
      This quote almost relates to the quality for quantity conception in education; it is not enough to use random technology without a purpose. Think about classes you've observed or reflect on your own: is technology use productive?
    • Cynthia Rios
       
      There have been some classes which I have observed where the teacher is using technology but not the students. Technology is sometimes being used for the sake of using it and is not enhancing the students learning.
    • Lucretia Human
       
      True integration happens when technology supports the learning outcome goals. It must aid in the 4 key components of learning: active engagement, group collaboration, frequent interaction and feedback, and a conncetion to the real-world. Watch the following video to see how one school integrateds technology into every facet of learning. http://youtu.be/xCcwOmFF0HM
    • Lucretia Human
       
      True integration happens when technology supports the learning outcome goals. It must aid in the 4 key components of learning: active engagement, group collaboration, frequent interaction and feedback, and a connection to the real-world. Watch the following video to see how one school integrated technology into every facet of learning. http://youtu.be/xCcwOmFF0HM">http://youtu.be/xCcwOmFF0HM">http://youtu.be/xCcwOmFF0HM
    • cinthia_sierra
       
      Consider your content area and former lessons and discuss how video conferencing can be utilized to maximize learning.
    • Cynthia Rios
       
      I teach 8th ELAR, and we read Night by Elie Wiesel as part of a Holocaust unit.  It would have been amazing for my students to video conference with a actual Holocaust survivor.  This would have given them even deeper knowledge on the Holocaust.
    • cinthia_sierra
       
      Would this even be possible at your district/school? Elaborate
    • Cynthia Rios
       
      I don't know if this would be possible at my school.  Unfortunately, many veteran teachers are not as open to change.
    • cinthia_sierra
       
      This would prepare students for online classes at the post-secondary level.
    • Lucretia Human
       
      I think that students would be helped by experiencing different teachers and teaching styles in order to have a well rounded learning experience. Sometimes students get very comfortable in a school with familiar surroundings and prior knowledge of teachers. When placed in this kind of atmosphere, the student will need to adjust and focus on the material being presented and the presenter.
    • Lucretia Human
       
      I think that students would be helped by experiencing different teachers and teaching styles in order to have a well rounded learning experience. Sometimes students get very comfortable in a school with familiar surroundings and prior knowledge of teachers. When placed in this kind of atmosphere, the student will need to adjust and focus on the material being presented and the presenter.
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    Using technology wisely in order to improve instruction
Gena Jean

Discovery Education Web2014 : Home - 3 views

  • Be Web 2.0 savvy - create safe communities and teach responsible internet use
  • Master new technology tools and find free apps. Tech has never been easier or more accessible.
    • Gena Jean
       
      Be sure to click on the Web 2.0 Tools link at the bottom of the page!
    • stacey perkins
       
      My school subscribes to Discovery Education, but I have never explored all these features. So glad you pointed them out!
    • Maricela Gonzalez
       
      My initial response to Gena Jean's Article Post- Gena thank you so much for posting about Discovery Education, of which I already use- but know that not all teachers are aware of its immense educational value. It is definitely a wealth of information, and such a great tool to supplement a lesson- especially when schools are now so into the incorporation of technology in all facets of the word- within the classroom environment.
    • Maricela Gonzalez
       
      My 1st reply- @Karla Fabiola Garcia- Having used Discovery Education for the past two years, I can honestly say that I love the fact that one can choose to download the videos, or stream them directly from the site. Sometimes my internet connection at school is very slow, and so I find that the download option is quite convenient. Besides that, Discovery Education is interdisciplinary and so it is cross contents so there is an abundance of resources available to all teachers in general.
    • Maricela Gonzalez
       
      My 2nd reply- @Elizabeth Rodriguez- I used to teach all subjects at one point and found that after having discovered this web 2.0 resource really allowed me the flexibility and ease to transition from one subject to the next and not feel so overwhelmed. I also like the fact that Discovery Education shows the "Discovery Education" logo as the videos play, so when an administrator walks into the classroom they know immediately that the source of my video is educational legit.
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      Ive heard about this site because I used to sell PBS learning Media, a competitor to Discovery Education. Either way, I like it as it is one huge site with so many resources. Although I have only browsed through it and not used it before, I can see the many tools and resource available to teachers.
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    • Gena Jean
       
      Click on the links button for access to a host of helpful resources!
    • Pedro Rodriguez
       
      @Gena, I guess one can say its like a kid in the candy store. Yes, there are so many resources available on the site. I love that parents can go on it as well. I wonder if teachers can contribute to it. I know some sites, teachers can create or extend lessons using the content and make it available to other teachers in the district.
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    This website is filled with many current Web 2.0 tools that can be utilized in various aspects of education!
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    These tools can be utilized to deliver content, communicate with students and/or parents, or to organize course content.
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    One of the most relevant links on the page is the one to do with Internet safety. It is very important that everyone involved in the online education process, from parents, to students, to teachers and administrators.
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    Another extremely helpful link is the Tech Tips. This page gives helpful advice on the utilization of the apps and has many helpful suggestions to make the integration of them into your workflow as easy as possible!
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    Wow! I use Discovery Education to show videos in class, but I had never seen, much less heard of this page. It looks EXTREMELY resourceful for professional development.
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    This is an excellent site. I am always looking for new technology tools to introduce to our faculty! This is a great resource that I will be sharing for sure!!!
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    Now this I have heard of. While I was working as a program coordinator for an after school program, this is something that was encouraged to be used. Mind you it was a few years back and we usually got all of our content shipped to us directly, but my students loved the videos and you can't go wrong with Discovery Education. I would have loved to have access to this website back then though.
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    Thanks for sharing. I learned about Discovery Education several years ago as a librarian aide. I did my best to encourage teachers to use it but there wasn't very much interest in it. The lack of interest was mainly by the older teachers who weren't too tech savvy...five years ago, that was a lot of teachers. I have been teaching for three years now and completely forgot about this resource. Thank you for reintroducing it to me.
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    I do have one complaint about the site. I do not like the design. It makes it feel like its from 5 years ago. I also do not like the fact that it is not mobile friendly. But I guess I am just being picky. Either way, its a great website. I guess its whats under the hood that counts.
Araceli Gracia

Using Google Glass to Transform Education - 3 views

    • Araceli Gracia
       
      Perhaps Google Glass could also be used for students who can not go to school due to major injuries.
    • eeverett3
       
      Google Glass is here, whether we like it or not! So our best course of action is to use the technology to our best advantage. I am a worrier, and I work in a high school, so in addition to the privacy issues, I worry about the distraction factor of students having all that access to IM etc. while they should be learning...however, that is a student choice! On the privacy issue, we already have students videotaping everything that ever happens (staged sometimes) and uploading to YouTube so we have to watch the internet sites constantly. I personally do not want people around me to video what I am doing and saying without my consent. Another area of technology outdistancing privacy laws. In the world of education, Glass will definitely make things faster and easier to record and upload. Some of the examples that have been given are great and we already have the technology to do this but not ready to go on a voice command...so that will be an advantage. I really like the teacher created examples at STEMbite... https://www.youtube.com/user/STEMbite A Glass user was at the ISTE conference in San Antonio last year and joked about the personal hazards of wearing Google Glass and having to focus on content and walking at the same time to avoid running into things. If everyone is about to look up how/where to get one, here is a Nov 2013 article on release dates and some changes that Google made becuase of privacy issues. http://www.techradar.com/us/news/video/google-glass-what-you-need-to-know-1078114/1
    • Araceli Gracia
       
      I would probably get motion sickness wearing the glasses and bump into a few walls. I'm sure over time though, people get used to them and grow to love them. The STEMbite site had great examples of what it is to experience Google glass. Thanks for sharing.
    • Don Martin
       
      Google Glass is an interesting technology system. I was especially intrigued by the idea that a teacher could go to a remote location and present their class information from that place. I could see this advantage being used in all kinds of applications. I could have used this in my classroom to go into the operating room and discuss surgical procedures with my students as they occurred. It would have been great to be able to get feedback from the surgeon on students questions and to be able to talk about small details of anatomy and the steps of the procedures as they happened.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      How many times have we heard a teacher tell us, "I wish you guys were at the conference"? Well, Google Glass can alleviate that barrier. I understand sometimes presenters do not like to be recorded due to privacy or monetary issues but prior coordination with the presenter will allow students the opportunity to hear the presentation firsthand.
    • Merrill Redfern
       
      What a very interesting and fascinating technology. The first thing that I thought of when I read through the description of Google Glass is how this technology could be used in a library setting. Libraries are not really known for their technology however, I believe, efforts are being made within many districts in moving forward into the digital age especially when they are faced with the inevitable. This article lists 7 ways Google Glass can be used in a Library setting. http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/6-things-libraries-can-do-with-google-glass/ I found number 7 especially interesting in that Google Glass has Voice Translation capability. Our school has recently enrolled three children who speak only Arabic and this type of technology would be very beneficial to them as they learn English. In addition and more fascinating, the article states there is talk regarding apps that will allow two people both wearing the Glass that can view the translations on their own screen.
    • eeverett3
       
      Great points! I had not really thought about the adaptive technology uses for special education students. Thanks!
    • Araceli Gracia
       
      Using Google Glass in the library setting is awesome. I liked number 2 because many times we do have special events going on in the library and it is just impossible for every classes to participate. For example, we had a Dr. Seuss celebration with guest readers from Target. They were dressed up and reading to the students, but not everyone was able to go. Using Google Glass would have allowed more students to be part of the fun.
    • Jose Escobedo
       
      The military is rolling out an equivalent protype of Google Glass for its Special Forces units in order to provide better situational awareness in a combat environment.
    • Araceli Gracia
       
      Jose, I can only imagine what an advantage this would be. I didn't even think about how it could help the military. Thanks for making that point.
  •  
    One of the goals is to have students become 21st century learners. This type of technology will help this happen and also be a way of creating Professional Learning Communities. Below is a short video from a teacher's perspective of Google Glass. http://binged.it/1cvMKqT
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  •  
    Google Glass could indeed transform education in time. I don't think it's quite there yet. Once more apps are added and concerns over privacy are addressed, I feel that it can change how we communicate and learn. For example, in math students could record how they solve a particular problem is solved and then share that with struggling peers. Students would then become co-teachers. Here are a couple of sites that I found interesting on the topic. https://plus.google.com/communities/110296377171353281556 http://www.edutopia.org/blog/future-education-through-google-glass-andrew-marcinek
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    I have to agree that privacy is the biggest issue with Google Glass but then again what really is private. Hackers are out there getting our personal information from credit cards. Everything can be recorded by cell phones at anytime. This is an issue that Google is aware of and no doubt working to improve this concern.
  •  
    Wow! After reading all the links and information on Google Glass, I am impressed. The first-person perspective gives students the opportunity to live in the shoes of others. What a great way to build empathy among students within the classroom and across the globe.
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    This following link provides a graphic for 30 Ways Google Glass can Innovate the Classroom: http://mashable.com/2013/08/19/google-glass-education/ One that stood out to me was using Google Glass for facial recognition to help teachers identify students. Making connections with our audience and students is very important. At Scott Lane Elementary School in Santa Clara, California, a principal hung pictures with names of a group of kindergartners so teachers could greet them by name. After 1000 days, the reading level of 97% of these students increased. (Burmark, 2011) As a middle school teacher, I can have up to 140 students in a day. Google Glass could help me identify students thus making faster and better connections with the students and improving overall learning. Burmark, L. (2011). They snooze, you lose. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
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    Brenda, The link you provided is great. It is very easy to follow and understand the many ways Google Glass can be used in the classroom. I like how it could provide access to students and teachers with visual, auditory, & other physical handicaps. On our campus we have a student who is a home-bound student due to her severe epilepsy. So her parents come to the school, get her work, and then she has to be tutored at home. Using this type of technology would give her the opportunity to be a more active participant in the classroom.
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    Araceli, as I go through the various articles, I can't help but think about how great it would be having a QR code reader app on Google Glass. Just imagine having the power to look up information on anything on the fly without voice commands or typing. School security could also use them to identify unauthorized individuals on campus. It would make them look more intimidating as well.
  •  
    Individuals with disabilities could certainly use Google Glass. Here is a video I found interesting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8GVKqGruOQ
Stephen Simon

How Collaborative Learning Leads to Student Success | Edutopia - 8 views

  • "What our collaborative learning style empowers and enables is a student's resilience -- how do you look to your neighbor as a resource, how do you test your own theories, how do you understand if you're on the right track or the wrong track?"
  • But now it's clear to her why allowing her students to learn in this way is so powerful. "They're learning more than just math," she says. "They're learning to be more proactive; they're learning how to depend on their peers. When they go off to college, they already know how to work with people and draw out their strengths."
    • lbanuelos
       
      When students engage in peer learning, the build self esteem and a sense of responsibility. http://www.cte.cornell.edu/teaching-ideas/engaging-students/collaborative-learning.html
    • Stephen Simon
       
      Being more proactive enhances how we move forward with advancements in every discipline. College Prep forces students to learn to depend on each other in times of need and stress. Leaving the nest is an experience that everyone who goes away for college encounters. The more at ease you feel when join a new group in a new setting just lubricates the learning environment.
    • Don Martin
       
      I like the statement that students are learning more than math. What are they learning? They are learning life skills that cross the content area boundaries. Skills such as critical thinking which are so important in problem solving, creativity and general success can only be learned through collaborative learning. It is not possible to learn to depend on peers or to learn teamwork without working with others in a collaborative environment. In order to be proactive you have to be able to see the possibilities before they occur, this can't be done without interacting with a complex environment that involves others. You cannot predict in a system you have no familiarity with. Collaboration is a key scaffolding tool in the effort to constantly expand understanding and performance.
  • In math, for instance, the teachers prompt the students to ask each other their questions before asking the teacher, so that students learn to rely on their own collective wisdom.
    • lbanuelos
       
      Peer learning is a mutual experience where student make equal contributions. Learning is also less formal. It may start in the classroom but can continue through social media.
    • Stephen Simon
       
      It's now OK to ask your classmate for help. This is a great idea and really fosters two things: learning and socialization. When certain tasks are intentionally harder, it nudges the student to explore if their classmates are having the same situation: a shared learning experience. This is an awesome approach to what can be both tedious and difficult in nature. This particular paradigm to math will foster metacognition in the individual learner.
  •  
    With the onset of many Web 2.0 tools we can all agree that collaboration is easier that ever before. As a student in high school I remember doing poorly in one of my Spanish classes so my teacher sat me next to another student that was doing much better. Together all three of us formed a partnership that ultimately helped me pass that class. Back then I never really understood why it was easier for me to learn with the help of my peer. How can we as educators encourage collaboration in the classroom? http://www.smu.edu/~/media/Site/Simmons/CCCD/Peer%20Teaching%20in%20Math.ashx
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  •  
    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.
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    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!
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    Don, I train 240 teachers and even more para professionals and staff on an ongoing basis. I get that they are learner too. My point was not that any and all collaborative learning models are flawed; it was that it's proponents seem to go unchallenged and in practice, many times anything deemed or labeled "collaborative" is considered good teaching. I believe collaborative learning has its place, but I also believe individual learning does as well. If the project is collaborative, there must be clearly delineated roles and rubrics, and "group" grades must be coupled with grades that target individual contributions. Google Docs and Murally are just two tools of many I share with teachers to more accurately determine who has done what and when.
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    "How Collaborative Learning Leads to Student Success"
Gladys Suarez

What Digital Literacy Looks Like in a Classroom - 6 views

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    If students are "glued" 24/7 to their mobile devices, why is it necessary for schools to teach digital literacy? Who should teach it? And wait ... what does it even mean to be "digitally literate"? If these are questions you've heard or asked, you aren't alone.
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    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?
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    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.
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    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.
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    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.
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    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!
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    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...
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    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.
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    Digital Literacy! Just because students are raised immersed in technology does not mean they know how to use it appropriately! Students need guidance to learn how to use technology effectively and appropriately. Perhaps if one thinks about being dropped off at the front door of the Library of Congress, without a guide, map or information desk!! How overwhelming would that experience be???
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    It would be overwhelming indeed. An educator should introduce digital literacy as if the student is new to the topic. Through hands-on activities and daily use, students should become great digital experts with tools they love.
juancalvarez

A Web 2.0 Class: Students Learn 21st Century Skills, Collaboration, and Digital Citizen... - 9 views

  • The students in all three of these classes have never met in person; however, they have all connected via Skype and their class blogs. They have also had many professionals come and speak to them via Skype.
    • juancalvarez
       
      Using Skype to bring professionals to the classroom allows for important connections and knowledge. Do you think that companies would allow their employees to Skype and give speeches about their field?
  • "You have to adapt to the world around you or progress can never happen. That is the ultimate goal of education, right? Progress. Continuous progress."
    • juancalvarez
       
      Adaptation is what humans have done since inventing the first tool, since inventing the wheel. We pass that knowledge to the next generation who in time develop better ways to adapt to their environment.
  • Principal Patrick Larkin comments, "I am amazed at how little the students actually know about connecting with others for educational purposes. They use social networking solely for socializing. It has been great to see the lightbulb start to go on in regards to them seeing these tools as a resource."
    • juancalvarez
       
      It is a fact that most students use communication tools just for social interaction and not for educational purposes. Most students, even 4 year olds, will know how to turn on the phone, tablet or iPad and go through the steps to play the games they like or type something to someone, but that doesn't mean that the media is being used for education or that the user is tech savvy. What do you think?
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    I agree that because a student knows how to play games on a tablet, does not mean that he/she knows how to use it at a learning tool. Using Skype or other tools to integrate technology into the learning process is taking it to another level. It is great that students are learning how to collaborate with others for something more than socializing. Safety is such a big issue for me, but in the classroom, we can use these connectivity capabilities in order to expand the learning. Although many teachers fear this, it is great when one person is not the entire knowledge base in the classroom. Lets show our students how to search safely, and how to integrate the knowledge into their lives and give it purpose!
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    I think that providing a "flat classroom" gives the learners of the 21st century a better outlook of what the internet and "connecting" looks like outside of social purposes. This helps set the students up for more success as the move into higher education and into their careers. Having these skills will be extremely beneficial for the students in the future. Skype for learn purposes has come a long way in the past years. Similar to virtual field trips, a presenter through Skype is bringing opportunities to students that is cost effective and influential for students. I think companies are more willing to allow their employee to visit through Skype than in person. It also allows the ability to meet with others that are not in the immediate area to connect.
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    Ana Suarez: You are totally right, safety is the most important. In fact, at the beginning of the year what I say to my new students' parents is, before learning, safety first. I thought that the best way to ensure that students stay on task is for them to record their Skype educational interactions. Skype doesn't have a tool to record, but there are software like SuperTintin Skype Recorder that is used by many people. Download.com is a rating website I have known for almost 20 years, and they rate it with 4 stars. http://download.cnet.com/SuperTintin-Skype-Recorder/3000-2150_4-10656468.html This is the direct link to it http://www.supertintin.com/ It is true that teachers fear not being the knowledge center, but I think this is because students value more a teacher when they see him/her as someone they can look for explanations, solutions, and knowledge. Still, we have to evolve and let the students interact and discover the world too.
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    Brandy Hanak: You are right, these tools will be very important for the students' to identify and learn that they can be used for professional purposes and not just for socializing. You mention a very important point. Skype allows students to connect with people that are far and could be impossible for them to come. The cost for a face to face presentation is so high that most companies do not invest in it. Being able to present at a distant opens doors to benefit everyone.
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    I was thinking about all the various uses of video web 2.0 technologies that is used for e-learning. While I recognize that Skype is an excellent way for students to "interact" and learn together- I am aware that Skype doesn't allow more than 10 students to meet at once. I recognize that this article was written in 2010 and I know that there is a great improvement and more video web 2.0 tech/apps out there that allows for virtual collaborative learning beyond a one-to-one interaction. We have Blackboard Collaborate, Fuze Meeting, appear.in, Google HangOut, and many more that does give more of a "classroom" feel. Incidental learning is also very important (students to get more than just one opinion, but comments, backgrounds, reactions from rest of their peers.) Hmm. just my thoughts :)
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    Skype would definitely be a great way to get professionals to "come" and talk to students. I don't see why employers would have a problem with this, they already allow employees to attend the in person career days. This would be a great idea for those employers that are not in the area. I can see this being a great tool for science and technology, to get professionals from the fields to give workshops to students. This is one of things I tell my students. They may know how to use their devices for socializing or gaming, but they have no idea how to use them for educational purposes. With how technologically advanced we are, you'd think students would know how to use their resources. The biggest downfall of students not knowing how to use their technology as an educational resource, tells me that they do now know how to use it to problem solve. I think this is where our focus needs to be with our students. Ensuring that the technology we use in our classroom is not something just for fun, but a tool that we are going to teach to them to use to problem solve. And problem solving can mean finding answers, collaborating, communicating, etc. I like what they talk about at the end of the article about digital citizenship. It is obvious that students are not aware of how to behave and the consequences of their posts on social media. I tell them once you post it on the net it is out there forever. Not only that but with the rise of Snapchat, teachers are becoming targets of video capture and without notice a video of them is up on social media. Students definitely need a course in high school relating to digital citizenship. Great article!
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    Summer, I think you right, there are other collaborative learning applications that have been developed but we also have to consider that we don't always need the capabilities of a BB and sometimes teams just need to talk. Skype is a technology that can be used in any electronic device with not to many computer resources. Students' home computers or phone does not always have the applications to run some programs or the internet connection. I have found Skype to be really easy and most people know it. It is just one more application to consider. Plus, we need media specialist that can show and teach the new resources.
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    Juan, as you say, we have to teach our students to use technology to find solutions, collaborate and have better communication. Students need to learn to use technology to become better at what they like to do.
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    When I read the through comments you posted Juan about this article I was reminded of this article from Dr. Corbeil's blog. http://edtc.blogspot.com/2015/06/does-not-compute-millennials-arent-tech.html. The article talks about how students use technology all the time, but lack problem solving skills and completing educational based task using technology. Skype is great tool and can be used to reach people that specialist in many different fields including writers, scientist, and business people. We have to embrace technology and learn how to help our students use the social networking to benefit their education and develop problem solving skills.
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    With today's technology this is a great instructional opportunity! Research shows and teachers know that students learn best from each other! Getting another perspective from a different area of the country/world provides extended learning opportunities that are boundless!
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    This makes perfect sense. This is how students communicate. This is how global multinationals communicate albeit with a business platform like Share point. Learning is supposed to be relevant and authentic. One way to achieve this is by giving students real world tools to accomplish learning objectives and promote collaboration. Share point provides Web 2.0 tools for wikis, blogs, and discussion threads.
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    Juan, great article. Just because a student, or anyone for that matter, is able to turn on devices doesn't make him/her "tech savy." I agree with Ms. Evans on how students learn best from each other. Take for instance this weeks Diggo assignment. We have to read and comment on classmates posts. Well, I admit sometimes the article it makes even more sense after reading the feedback in the comment section of the article or my classmates comments here on Diggo.
Fred Kaplan

Dan Meyer: Math class needs a makeover | Video on TED.com - 1 views

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    Great video on how to decompose a 'traditional' math problem and get the students to have buy-in and take their time in formulating a solution.
Merrill Redfern

Tomorrow's Classroom (2014) - YouTube - 6 views

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    This video is a great example of how technology can influence a classroom for the greater good.
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    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
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    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.
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    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.....
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    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
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    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.
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    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/
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    Talk about thinking outside the box for this teacher. I can imagine the enthusiasm those students felt everyday they interacted with each other.
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    I enjoyed the video and particularly the teacher' purpose...connecting lessons to real world applications!
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    Merrill, thank you for the link.
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    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.
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    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.
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    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!
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    Eric, we have also instituted a writing boot camp this year. We will see this weeks what the results are!
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    Really inspiring! It's amazing to think how much more those kids are learning about world cultures from this kind of experience vs. reading about it in a textbook or listening to their teacher lecture. I love this type of learning because it hits so many different modes - doing, hearing, listening, conversing... Wish I'd had a teacher like that!
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