Group items tagged

As citizens of a highly technological culture, our students see (and often use) technologies as a daily experience. Because of their proliferation, these technologies become are often taken for granted and unexplored. This lesson plan asks students to pay attention to these technologies explicitly. In this activity, students brainstorm lists of their interactions with technology, map these interactions graphically, and then compose narratives of their most significant interactions with technology. By writing these technology autobiographies, students explore what their stories reveal about why we use the technologies we do when we choose to use them.

"Blogging is becoming more and more popular in the classroom. Teachers can blog to stay in touch with parents and students or they can incorporate blogs from all of the students as a learning tool. The beauty of the student blog is that children from Kindergarten to high school can blog. No matter how you use blogs in your classroom, these tools will help you get started, enhance your experience, or bring the students into the fun."

"As the Reading Workshop students begin to blog regularly (see links in the sidebar), one might question, what do you want the students to get out of this project? How will it help them? Are the benefits academic and or social? Listed below are the goals and benefits of student blogs. "

Welcome to our "colossal ongoing discussion about everything." We invite you to join or log in to our site and to become a member of a growing community of K-12 students and teachers who are working together to nurture student-to-student conversations, collaborations, and civic actions that result from publishing and commenting on each others discussion posts, images, podcasts, bookmarks, and videos and VoiceThreads. Oh, and don't forget to check out what's on our minds, right now. Find out What's Up?

Video Production is more than a new toy for students. It helps students create work in a new and exciting way. This is a place for serious fun. Kids'Vid is an instructional website to help teachers and students use video production in class to support project-based learning.

"Whether you're writing a paper or studying for a test, odds are you spend more time gathering the pieces than actually working. In my experience, getting all of my notes together, hunting for quotes, and tracking down bibliographical information takes at least as long, if not longer, as writing the paper itself. In a group situation, sharing research and collaborating on the production of one document is even more difficult without the proper tools. Enter Evernote. For students, it's an invaluable way to organize research and streamline the collaboration process. Here are some examples of how Evernote simplifies the student research process."

"The problem is that to have a Google Docs account, you need an email address. You need it to verify your Google Docs account. Most elementary and some middle school students don't have email addresses and their parents may not want them to have one. If a teacher helps a student create an email account and the student uses that account for troublemaking or connects to the wrong people, there could be some liability issues. At least that's what scares teachers."

"When I asked my students recently how blogging in class makes a difference to them, they had lots to say. Blogging has allowed them to meet students from all over the world and discover new interests. It's also helped them improve their technology skills and write more on assignments than they could if they had to use paper and pencil. But for the teacher, bringing blogging into the classroom can be both thrilling and terrifying at the same time. No doubt about it, making the decision to try student blogging is an act of courage. With that in mind, I'd like to share eight things I've learned that can help ensure your brave step is also a wise and successful one for you and your kids. "

Web search can be a remarkable tool for students, and a bit of instruction in how to search for academic sources will help your students become critical thinkers and independent learners. With the materials on this site, you can help your students become skilled searchers- whether they're just starting out with search, or ready for more advanced training.

A fast tool for finding and downloading all of Microsoft's free tools for teachers and students. Microsoft Partners in Learning helps educators connect, collaborate, create and share. TeachTec helps educators find relevant and effective ways to use technology to inspire teaching and engage students. Together we have consolidated the latest and most popular teacher and student resources that Microsoft provides to all schools, districts and education organizations around the world.

"With approximately six hours of actual instructional time per school day, what percentage of that time are students actively engaged and cognitively invested in what is being taught or learned in your classroom? What evidence do we as teachers have that students are actually cognitively in tune with us? And what wonderful and deep critical thinking are we missing out on by not requiring evidence of processing and content-based interaction by our students? Listening Objects"

But in an increasingly connected and digital world, the things a student needs to know are indeed changing-fundamental human needs sometimes drastically redressed for an alien modern world. Just as salt allowed for the keeping of meats, the advent of antibiotics made deadly viruses and diseases simply inconvenient, and electricity completely altered when and where we slept and work and played, technology is again changing the kind of "stuff" a student needs to know.

The difference between students and learners is something we've discussed before. On the surface it's a matter of tone and compliance, but it also has to do with purpose-why are they learning? How much of themselves are invested in the process? And does it lead to personal change, or mere performance? So below are 32 habits-or strategies, actions, or behaviors-that can lead to that critical shift that moves students from mere students to learners who are able to think critically for themselves. Key themes? Patience, scale, and perspective.

"Project Global Inform (PGI) is an in-school project where students use media to spread awareness about human rights violations. PGI came out of the idea that we too often "teach" our students about genocide and human rights violations, but never "do" anything about it. This project's main objective is to create awareness about current human rights violations in our schools, communities, and abroad. Through the use of media and technology students have the power to make a difference."

As more and more educators bring rich learning opportunities to their students, it makes sense for us to engage students in the creation of electronic portfolios of their work. Although there are a number of 'pay-for-service' sites and content management systems that are up to the task, there are also a number of free and low cost alternatives that can be leveraged by teachers and students in order to demonstrate their personal and professional competencies.

Why use video with your students? Why create videos or have students create videos? How do you use video with students? This website has it all! You want to learn about video in school - this is your one stop resource!

Student Response Network (SRN) is a powerful "virtual Clicker" student response system designed for use in school computer labs or with wireless laptop groups. It does away with the need for personal handheld "clicker" devices by providing a software-only solution for use with networked Windows desktops or laptops.

Great teachers help create great students, agreed? In fact, research shows that an inspiring and informed teacher is the single most important school-related factor influencing student achievement. So, what helps teachers become great? What equips them in helping students reach their highest potential?

Expand the universe of your students' math knowledge with this collection of lessons and activities. Math texts don't usually dedicate very much coverage for fractals and graph theory, yet these topics are some of the most timely. Students need to see that mathematical study goes beyond Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry. Mathematics includes a wide range of investigations into topics that are utilized in the real world. These lessons should give students a basic understanding of these advanced concepts that they can carry with them to college.

Digital Citizenship is a concept which helps teachers, technology leaders and parents to understand what students/children/technology users should know to use technology appropriately. Digital Citizenship is more than just a teaching tool; it is a way to prepare students/technology users for a society full of technology. Too often we are seeing students as well as adults misusing and abusing technology but not sure what to do. The issue is more than what the users do not know but what is considered appropriate technology usage.