Featured 4-15-2014: 21Things4Teachers

 

21Things4Teachers is a free web-based professional development resource to educate teachers in the use of technology

 

The intention of 21Things4Teachers is to provide Just-in-Time training for K-12 educators through an online interface based on the ISTE Standards for Teachers, the basic technology skills every educator should possess.

 

 

21Things4Teachers covers a large variety of digital applications in the context of different educational practices, issues, considerations, and environments. The 21 modules, or things, include such topics as Cloud Initiation, Collaboration Tools, Visual Learning, Copyright and Creative Commons, Differentiated Instruction, and Flipping the Classroom.

 

 

With learning activities structured around the NETS•T, the modules provide an opportunity for participants to learn how to use various technology tools and how technology can support an educator’s professional development. Participants will broaden their own skills and discover what students need in order to meet the ISTE Standards for Students.

 

21Things4Teachers began in 2008, with four friends who were instructional technology specialists looking for a way to train teachers on technology in a timely and cost-effective manner.

 

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Featured 3-26-2014: The Inquiry Project

The Inquiry Project aims to build an understanding of science in students ages 8-10 that lays a foundation for later understanding of matter in terms of molecules and atoms.

 

The Inquiry Project is centered on material, weight, volume, density, and related ideas that are important and challenging for students. Elements of this work are the integration of mathematics and the focus on investigative inquiry.

 

Research, curriculum, assessment, and professional development are blended in one coherent system, each component being essential to developing an understanding of how to best prepare learners.

 

 

The basis of The Inquiry Project lies in three content-specific dimensions of inquiry: measurement of matter, change and conservation, and scale. It has been designed to feature the following fundamentals of scientific inquiry:

• Questions
• Evidence
• Explanations
• Knowledge
• Communication

 Watch an intro to Talk Science Pathways

 

The Inquiry Project is a partnership between teachers, TERC, and Tufts University funded by the National Science Foundation.

 

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Featured: 7-9-2013 WeVideo

WeVideo is a web application that allows you to edit videos online and collaborate on the editing process with others.

Edit anytime, anywhere, on any device with WeVideo's powerful cloud-based video creation tools.

Teachers can set up class video projects with WeVideo for Education, making relevant media available to each class. The educator can also group students, view and comment on their work, and monitor the progress of each video project.

WeVideo has three interface levels. It can be used both by novices that have never before edited a video, as well as more experienced editors and even experts. You can switch between modes at will, as you like.

Unique Themes give your video a specific look and tone with a single click. Your video can be designed with professional visual effects, transitions, typography, and sound tracks.

 Watch WeVideo - Video Editing in the Cloud

Capture videos and photos and upload them into your WeVideo account using apps for your Android or iOS device. Mobile users who already use WeVideo can quickly transfer footage into online video editing projects.

For $100 (USD) per semester, up to 50 students can use WeVideo. Volume license pricing is available for multi-class, school, or district subscriptions at lower costs per student.

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Featured: 5-28-2013 Scratch [Programming]

Scratch, first noted on EDge21 in January 2010, is a simple programming language for kids that makes it easy to create interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art and share them on the web. 

Working with Scratch helps kids aged 8-16 learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively, essential 21st century skills.

MIT has just released a new version of Scratch that runs within a browser window with no downloads or installs required. Note: Scratch does require Flash.

Find out more about learning with Scratch by visiting the ScratchEd online community where Scratch educators share stories, exchange resources, and ask questions.

 Watch a video introduction to Scratch

Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. Scratch is provided free of charge and is available in more than 40 languages.

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Featured: 1/21/2013 Intel Teach Elements [Resources]

Intel® Teach Elements is a series of courses for K–12 educators providing deeper exploration of 21st century learning concepts. These free professional development courses can be accessed anytime, anywhere.



Intel Teach Elements e-learning courses explore 21st century learning concepts. Teachers of all subjects can learn to engage students with digital learning, including digital content, Web 2.0, social networking, and online tools and resources.

Teachers will find ways to effectively integrate technology into their existing curriculum with a focus on problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration.



Intel Teach Elements courses can be taken online as self-study for a personal professional growth experience. Intel also supports integration of the course into online and face-to-face professional development programs, and provides facilitation materials that promote a deeper experience for teachers as they work through the e-learning modules.

Watch a video to learn more about Intel Teach Elements courses

The Intel Teach Elements instructional design includes animated e-learning tutorials, interactive learning exercises, and offline activities to apply concepts.

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A Guide To Critical Thinking Skills

This nice graphical guide to critical thinking skills has been created by a Canadian junior high school library technician named Enokson.

[Source: Enokson]

COD - 5/30/2012 - Mootup [Language Arts]

Mootup facilitates building 21st Century Skills in a fun, interactive, and easy-to-grade style of writing assignment that directly teaches argumentative and persuasive writing according to Common Core Standards.

Students can learn to think critically using Mootup as they dig deeper into topics while building effective logic and reasoning skills.

In Mootup assignments, students are anonymously paired up, and take turns writing arguments and rebuttals against a classmate, tapping into two of today’s students favorite things: social networking and competition. Consequently, students may have more fun and complain less while doing a writing assignment.

Because of the interactive format of Mootup, assignments can be easier and more interesting to read. As soon as students start submitting arguments, you can begin grading without having to wait for the entire assignment to be complete. Mootup provides participation data that can help educators grade. 

Mootup offers one free assignment following registration. Individual teachers can then obtain continued access for an annual subscription fee. Multi-educator accounts are available to institutions and districts.

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COD - 2/22/2012 - Big6 [Information Literacy]

 

The Big6 is arguably the most widely known and used approach to teaching information and technology skills world-wide.

The Big6 helps students develop the skills and understanding needed to find, process, and use information effectively by focusing on process as well as content.

Information search and use skills along with with technology tools are integrated in a systematic process to find, use, apply, and evaluate information for specific needs and tasks.

The six stages of the Big6 process:

• Task Definition
• Information Seeking Strategies
• Location and Access
• Use of Information
• Synthesis
• Evaluation

The Big6 information problem-solving model is used in thousands of K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and corporate and adult training programs.

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Catch of the Day - Imagine Cup - 12/14/2010

The Imagine Cup by Microsoft is a preeminent student technology competition with significant goals inspired by global needs. The idea is to show how technology can help solve the real world’s tough problems.

Beginning with local and regional competitions, the Imagine Cupconcludes at the Worldwide Finals in New York City this year. Once you register as a student or mentor, you can sign up for a competition right away or just explore a bit.

The mentor teacher's role in Imagine Cup is as an advisor, a counselor, and an "official brainstorming guide." Your job is to help students collaborate efficiently as a team. You can discuss technical issues with students and refer them to valuable resources.

Here are some ways a mentor teacher can help …

• Answer students' questions
• Discuss issues that arise
• Remind students of upcoming deadlines
• Be a good listener

 

Watch this video featuring Imagine Cup teacher feedback

The Imagine Cup started in 2003 as a way to get students involved in the connection between people, information, and systems.

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Catch of the Day - All About Computers - 12/9/2010

All About Computers is a joint effort of CDW-G and Discovery Education to create a web resource to help today's 21st century educators develop a new generation of thinkers in our schools and in the workplace.

All About Computers provides lesson plans, articles, a technology showcase, and links all related to connecting the the 21st century teacher and learner.

Educators are presented four lesson modules …

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Communication and Collaboration
• Creativity and Innovation
• Digital Citizenship

Each downloadable PDF multi-page module includes a related introductory article and lesson plans for grades K-12 (ages 5-17).

The All About ComputersTechnology Showcase links to the products of CDW-G's technology partners including such industry leaders as Lenovo, Toshiba, PolyVision, and others.

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Catch of the Day - The Gateway - Jun 8, 2010

The Gateway provides educators with access to thousands of educational resources from federal, state, university, non-profit, and commercial Internet sites.

The Gateway links to over 50,000 records from over 700 member collections. Resource types from activities and lesson plans to online projects to assessment items can be found by searching or browsing the Gateway. Each learning resource cataloged and searchable on the Gateway contains a field for members to contribute comments.

The goal of the Gateway is "to improve the organization and accessibility of the substantial collections of materials that are already available on various federal, state, university, non-profit, and commercial Internet sites." and to "be the world's leading digital library and metadata cooperative, helping educators serve students by providing access to educational knowledge through cutting edge innovation and collaboration."

Using the the Gateway is free to everyone. Development of the Gateway was funded by the U.S. Department of Education in order to provide teachers with learning resources created by over 750 publicly funded organizations. The Gateway is now administered by JES & Co., a nonprofit serving educators in the US and around the world.

View the Gateway's FirstTime User's Guide

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Catch of the Day - 4Teachers Family of Tools - 22 Mar 10

The 4Teachers Family of Tools is today's bountiful catch


The 4Teachers Family of Tools offers timesaving educational resources that use technology to improve instruction across all content areas and grade levels.

The 4Teachers Family of Tools resources align with standards, promote higher-order thinking skills, and support the development of writing skills. There are tools to help you monitor student work, assess student performance, and create online lessons, classroom calendars, and quizzes in less time than traditional methods. Locate ready-to-use online resources such as web lessons, quizzes, and rubrics.

Among the tools in the 4Teachers Family of Tools arsenal are…

• RubiStar - Create customized rubrics in English and Spanish
• PersuadeStar - Provides tools for students to write persuasive essays
• Equity - Locate resources and tools to help you meet the needs of a diverse classroom
• TrackStar - View thousands of online lessons or quickly create your own
• PBL Checklists - Make custom checklists for multiple projects
• Web Poster Wizard - Make and post a simple web page within minutes
• and many more

The 4Teachers Family of Tools helps you integrate technology into your classroom by offering online tools and resources. Discover useful professional development resources tackling issues such as equity, ELL, technology planning, and at-risk or special-needs students.

Trackstar Page

The 4Teachers Family of Tools también está disponible en español.

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What are We Doing Here?

I try not to inflict my opinions on people too often. After all, opinions are more than plentiful and often of questionable quality. But, occasionally I feel the need. This would be one of those times.

Every now and then, all of the things you've read and heard or seen or experienced, perhaps over weeks, months, even years, come together and crystallize. You suddenly see something clearly and distinctly. It's as if your mind's auto-focus function has just kicked in. I think this is what's called an epiphany.

I've just had such a moment. Even though I've spent virtually all of my many years as an educator of one sort or other, I see more clearly now than I ever have before what the focal point of our work should be, preparing our students for life after high school.

Sure, I've always understood that to some degree, had a vague notion that was what I should be trying to do, but now it's in big bold caps.

WE SHOULD BE PREPARING AND EQUIPPING KIDS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND CHARACTER TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN WHATEVER THEY MAY CHOOSE TO PURSUE AFTER THEY MOVE ON FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

The central task of our job is not to make our kids successful high school students, but competent human beings.

I'm hard put to see how the present obsession with the kind of high-stakes testing which has apparently become the driving force of educational practice and policy, whether acknowledged as such or not, is helping our young people rise to that goal.

Is "data-driven instruction" sometimes a PC euphemism for "teaching to the test?"

I need to see that performing up to some seemingly arbitrary standard on any of the fifty different and inequitable state assessments translates into post-high school success.

Does teaching students to reach what someone has set as the desired level of achievement on a PSSA or FCAT or whatever the test in your locale prepare them to achieve any degree of success and fulfillment beyond that? If it does, somebody needs to show me that, because right now I don't believe it.

Further, it is my sense that most of the ground troops don't believe it either. If we are wrong, somebody better step up and start convincing us that theirs is the right way. They've got to seriously improve their pitch.

Unlike Toyota, when we get it wrong, the consequences cannot be fixed with a retrofit and can last for generations. The effects can ripple far and wide.

What ARE we doing?

- Posted from my iPhone using BlogPress

Catch of the Day - Center for Technology and Teacher Education - 22 Feb 10

Center for Technology and Teacher Education is today's tasty catch

Center for Technology and Teacher Education is a cross-disciplinary group of faculty working together at the University of Virginia.

Center for Technology and Teacher Education Home Page

Center for Technology and Teacher Education faculty and graduate fellows identify and explore innovative technologies with the following goals: to develop the next generation of educational technology leaders; prepare K-12 teachers to effectively integrate technology in their content areas; develop, implement, and assess procedures to help teacher educators appropriately integrate educational technologies; assist corporate partners in developing products for the K-12 classroom; and contribute to state and national policies related to integration of technology in the teacher preparation process.

Digital Images in the School Curriculum

Center for Technology and Teacher Education staff write and apply for grants throughout each academic year. There are numerous initiatives currently in progress, such as …

• Primary Access which allows teachers and students to tap into original material archived on the Internet through institutions such as the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
• The Impact Project to develop resources to facilitate appropriate uses of technology in teacher preparation programs. This initiative has addressed secondary mathematics, science, English, and social studies education.
• Digital Images in the School Curriculum to aid educators in taking advantage of the utility of digital cameras in the classroom to help students better visualize abstract concepts and communicate with images.

Content Areas Resources

One of the goals of the Center for Technology and Teacher Education is to prepare K-12 teachers to integrate technology effectively in their content areas. Each content area represented includes lesson plans and other resources.

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Catch of the Day - Project Based Learning-Online - 11 Feb 10

Project Based Learning-Online is today's fresh catch

Project Based Learning-Online is a comprehensive resource for project based learning. You'll find all the resources you need to help you conceive, plan, implement, and assess engaging, standards-based projects for middle and high school students.

The PBL-Online Home Page

The goals of PBL-Online…

• to provide a brief introduction to the basic ideas and methodology underlying project based learning
• to create an interactive site that would coach pre-service and practicing teachers through the process of planning a project
• to develop a project library called a collaboratory where teachers could search or browse to find ideas for projects
• to have teachers contribute their own projects to the collaboratory, and include relevant images and documents about the project
• to provide access to a three credit, online course about project based learning

Collaboratory Orientation Page

When you first visit the collaboratory, you will need to create a free account. Then after verification you will have the opportunity to complete an orientation before starting to search for and create projects.

A Sample Project Page

PBL-Online was created under the leadership of the Buck Institute for Education, with major contributions by the George Lucas Foundation, the Department of Educational Technology at Boise State University, and a group of University partners.

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