Group items tagged

Action research is a process of deep inquiry into one's practices in service of moving towards an envisioned future, aligned with values. Action research is the systematic, reflective study of one's actions, and the effects of these actions, in a workplace context. As such, it involves deep inquiry into one's professional practice. The researchers examine their work and seek opportunities for improvement.

Mike Farley has created a fantastic resource for teachers of social studies here. Under the headings: Energy, Environment, Global Poverty, Global Conflict, Migration & Civic Action, he has provided links to 'serious games', together with downloadable worksheets that aim to help students get the most out of the game.

You HAVE to check out this website! It would be great for our G5 unit Through the Eyes of a Child, and Energy, the G3 unit on Migration, G6 on Natural Disasters - and that's just a start...

Editor's note: An extraordinary number of species-from squid to lizards to humans-engage in play. But why? In this article, adapted from Dr. Sam Wang and Dr. Sandra Aamodt's book Welcome to Your Child's Brain: How the Mind Grows from Conception to College (Bloomsbury USA, 2011; OneWorld Publications, 2011), the authors explore how play enhances brain development in children. As Wang and Aamodt describe, play activates the brain's reward circuitry but not negative stress responses, which can facilitate attention and action. Through play, children practice social interaction and build skills and interests to draw upon in the years to come.

Bastion is the first title from Supergiant Games, an original action role-playing game set in a lush imaginative world, in which players must create and fight for civilization's last refuge as a mysterious narrator marks their every move. Got a question about the game?

"Daphne Bavelier: Your brain on video games" How do fast-paced video games affect the brain? Step into the lab with cognitive researcher Daphne Bavelier to hear surprising news about how video games, even action-packed shooter games, can help us learn, focus and, fascinatingly, multitask.

presentation tool

big names in science & humanities answer big questions, e.g., does moral action depend on reasoning? Does evolution explain human nature?

"At Sammamish High School, our staff has dedicated our professional development to building expertise in the key elements of problem-based learning. Previous blog entries by my colleagues have given an overview of this process, as well as exploring how we include student voice and work with authentic problems. Another crucial element of successful problem-based learning is using authentic assessment throughout all stages of a unit to constantly evaluate and improve student learning. "

"defining digital citizenship in terms of its actions and habits"

Welcome to the Research In Action section of PE Central. In this section, we post research articles that we think will be helpful to PE teachers. 

"'Debatabase is an authoritative collection of over five hundred debates mostly written by experienced debaters. They cover topics from the affirmative action to Zimbabwe, on all sorts of themes including politics, economics, religion, culture, science and society. For debaters they may provide useful preparation materials and examples but the debates will be useful to everyone. Debatabase topics provide both sides of the debate rather than giving just one side of the argument as most blogs, newspapers and other articles you can find online do. We want you to make up your own mind on these important issues and believe you need both sides of the argument to make an informed choice."

Photos of the children in action in Reggio Emelia

Flipped classroom in action in NZ

<> Each one-hour program features classroom case studies and informative discussions. When you participate in the workshop in a group setting, you get the added benefits of peer interaction during pre- and post-viewing activities. The Learning Science Through Inquiry workshop provides a solid starting point to explore, discuss, and critique the inquiry approach - and ultimately put it to use in your own classroom.

The United Nations declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. It is a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives. The world is invited to take action in 2010 to safeguard the variety of life on earth: biodiversity

A list of games related to: "The state of health of a whole society, and the policies and actions of government to maintain or improve overall well-being."

A list of games related to: "Wars and military actions between countries or regions spurred by geographic, religious, ethnic or other differences."

"This is a world in which public is the new default. Thought leader Michael Schrage (2010) notes that "the traditional two-page résumé has been turned into a 'personal productivity portal' that empowers prospective employers to quite literally interact with their candidate's work." The rules for building your personal brand are changing at light speed. It's not enough to suggest that we have those admirable skills of creativity, initiative, and entrepreneurship; now we have to show them in action online. In short, our résumé is becoming a Google search result, one that we build with the help of others and that requires our participation. Most students are beginning to face this reality without much assistance from the schools charged with preparing them for the world beyond school. That has to change. We need to help students understand more than just the safety and ethics of participating online; we also have to give them opportunities throughout the curriculum to find and follow their passions and publish meaningful, quality work for real global audiences to interact with." Article by Will RIchardson

An 18 min vid about the ethical obligations of going online from the Australian Communications & Media Authority. Includes bullying, sexting, filmed fights & police action.