Group items tagged

The features in Google Docs can be used to facilitate a digital writer's workshop based on peer editing, and they are particularly useful when combined with cooperative grouping strategies to fine-tune students' editing skills. While students are writing their drafts, teachers can take advantage of opportunities to lead small instructional groups to help them focus on specific cooperative grouping job-related skills, then students can share their drafts with other group members who use comments to suggest revisions based on their job. The immediate feedback provided by peers will likely encourage writers to check comments and revise at home and stay on task during classroom work time. The revision history will keep student comments and revisions honest and focused on the task.

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.

ISTE has helped transform teacher preparation programs through its standards to integrate technology into learning, teaching, and leading. The refreshed standards-Technology Coach, Technology Director, and Computer Science Educator-are pending NCATE approval. These build on the original Technology Facilitator, Technology Leader, and Secondary Computer Science Educator standards.

Join over 200 projects designed and facilitated by teachers and students. In addition to connecting students' learning with local and global issues and meeting specific curriculum needs, every iEARN project must answer the question, "How will this project improve the quality of life on the planet?" This vision and purpose is the glue that holds iEARN together, enabling participants to become global citizens who make a difference by collaborating with their peers around the world.

Brain based and constructivist learning is a huge area to learn about but basically it's the theory behind inquiry learning. Brain based learning put simply means using what scientists know about the brain to understand how students learn best.  Constructivist learning is the means by which we construct learning. It is based on students participating in constructing their own learning and the teacher facilitating this rather than teaching it to students as in the traditional chalk and talk model.  

This post shows some ideas on how you can leverage mobile content created by students to build community and give them a platform for interaction.

Wiki providing tools for teams. "Teampedia is a collaborative encyclopedia of free team building activities, free icebreakers, teamwork resources, and tools for teams that anyone can edit.

ADE Madeline Brookes writes an interesting post about the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon integration model.  We're at 0 degrees right now. Should we be doing more of 1?