We are what we share

This is an interesting video thinking about the internet and the opportunities it offers us (as a learning community).  The theme is 'we are what we share' and this could be a way to think about how the eCentral teaching community can continue the gather in strength through sharing....

Digital Citizenship Resources.....

Some resources for looking at Digital Citizenship with students

12 Things Students should do on Social Media (adults too!)  These ideas could be some good starters for discussions with students.

Edmondo's Digital Citizenship Resource Kit is available from here.  Has downloadable PDF's that may be useful with students or can be used to glean ideas for working in the classroom.

This site has some resources and videos you might like to use for background for yourself or with students. 

Netsafe (NZ) has material on digital citizenship

Wiki Educator Digital Citizenship project - still a work in progress but plenty of resources (NZ led)

This site will come online next term  www.teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz

The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain

An interesting video about current brain research .....

Why do teenagers seem so much more impulsive, so much less self-aware than grown-ups? Cognitive neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore compares the prefrontal cortex in adolescents to that of adults, to show us how typically “teenage” behavior is caused by the growing and developing brain.

Teacher Expectations - QR Code ideas

We all know the importance of teachers expectations on student performance.  This article discusses this along with some suggestions (left hand column) for teachers to try.  Article here

Used QR Codes in your classroom yet?  Here is a web site with some ways they have been used - scan the code to go to the site (or click the link).

18 uses of QR Codes

This article was posted a year or two back but is still worth a read and follows on nicely from the article above  10 Steps for Better Student Engagement

Famous People and Ideas From the Students

Famous People Painting - this (digital) painting features famous people with links to wikipedia.  An interesting way to discover what famous people did and a great idea for the classroom.  Link here


How do we get students ready for the future and get them to think. This is a blog post about turning your classroom into an ideas factory from the Mind Shift blog - not all new but a good reminder.

Digital Dossier...

This clip is a reminder about how things have changed in the digital age.  Useful as background for teachers to have conversations with students around digital citizenship and their unavoidable digital footprint -  or maybe to use with students if you think it is appropriate.

(note the vid is from 2008 and we are moving fast digitally........)

Any thoughts.....

The Digital Learner - are we ready?

Interesting video about the Digital Learner (the "Voice of the Active Learner") - is it a thing to come or already here - if so are schools ready?  Could be worth sharing with staff.......

Any thoughts?

Strategies for Teacher PD

Stephen Harris (Centre for Innovation in Learning) talks about the 6 most powerful strategies that he has used (or taken part in) for  professional development.  I am sure you will recognise some or all of them but is always good to have a reminder - and maybe pick one to re-introduce.

Go here 

Link  http://imaginelearning.tumblr.com/post/29091103185/6-powerful-strategies-for-paradigm-shifting-teacher-pd

Looking for a mind mappng tool?  Here is a link to 18 free mind mapping tools for teachers and students - with a short description of each.  If you have a preference - or recommendation please let us know!

Go here

The Teachers Role?.....

A video on future learning that considers such things and video (Kahn) and the internet and what future learning looks (may look) like.   What is the teachers role?
This quote might make it worth a look...
"given the internet and the absence of the teachers....children can learn anything..."

Do you agree?  Any implications if we accept these ideas?

The future curriclulum may only have 3 things..... 

Crime of the Future and Thinking Skills

Have just watched this TED talk about the other side of the advance of technology.  Interesting and perhaps a little scary but technology brings all sorts of change we don't always anticipate...




Enokson has created for us a kind of road map containing all the major critical thinking skills we need to know about.   (source)

[Source: Enokson]

Effective Tech Leadership

7 Habits of Highly Effective Tech-leading Principals

An interesting article that talks about Leadership with Technology in Schools. 

(from the Journal http://thejournal.com)

Link here - 7 Habits

The article talks about the habits listed below.....

1. Create an Atmosphere That Inspires Innovation
2. Foster Collaboration
3. Be Open to New Ideas
4. Be a Connected Learner Yourself
5. Locate and Provide Adequate Resources
6. Take Risks
7. Have a Visionary Focus

Sound good?  Do you agree?  Any other habits you could add?

Leading!

Data Never Sleeps!

Have you ever wondered just how much data is being fired around the internet in a day - probably not. This info graphic shows digital data produced in one minute - a staggering amount and illustrates just how much life has changed in the past 15 years. (Hey this post is contributing too!)
What did we do before the internet.... how much data will there be in the future......what will be done with the data......

Browse more Technology infographics.

Mobile Learning Success Story

An article from the US about a successful mobile learning device (MLD) success story (gasp!... using Android).  How did they tell it was successful....well.... by test scores...

   Article here.    Love of Mobile into Better Learning

Are We Changing Pedagogy with Technology?

There must also be a fundamental shift in the pedagogy, one that works in tandem with this technology and employs it as a tool to enhance new learning approaches for digital students. (Ian Jukes)

Amidst a Mobile Revolution in Schools, Will Old Teaching Tactics Work discuss the need for a change in teaching practice to match the new technologies entreating the classroom.  In the mad rush to BYOD and iPads it also reminded me that many students already ready carry technology (the mobile phone) - and are we making the most of this?

Article here  Go on ...give it a read!
             

............................

Facebook use in school has been much discussed
Some ideas and discussion in the article below (click image)

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And for those interested in brain research - an interesting article

Scientists Find Learning Is Not 'Hard-Wired'

E-Books Making It Harder to Remember What You Just Read?

In the heady rush towards digital content including eBooks (eTextbooks too) I read this article with interest.  The question is, as Ian Jukes puts it is, "does reading in an ebook format make retention of what we read more difficult than when we see it on paper? Is it just a matter of retraining our brains to a new way of reading, since we've been used to traditional books for so long?"
As an avid eBook reader I am not sure if I agree with this article - but it is an interesting thought......


Article here Do eBooks Impair Memory?

And if you are wondering what the recent digital reading trends are and  where they may be heading then have a look at this info graphic

Mirror Your iOS Device - Reflection for PC too!

Several people asked about this at the last Lead Teacher Day - Reflection - the app for mirroring your iOS device (iPad - iPhone) is now available for Windows (yay!).

In Windows point your browser at http://www.reflectionapp.com/ and hit download and you should get the Windows installer.   Get a 10 minute trial for free.

Have fun!

Justify your use of Technology?

There are many points of view on the increasing use of technology in education. Sometimes it is worthwhile looking at how others might think about it. This article talks about possible effete of students having too much access to tech - in particular younger 'digital divide' children. Good to read and reflect on your own thoughts and practices. I don't think many would disagree with 'skills they (children) will always need to thrive -- deep thinking, the ability to differentiate fact from hype, creativity, self-regulation, empathy, and self-reflection'  but how are they best taught (learned?) and what is the place of technology in this?  Article here -  About that App Gap...


Update - just to add to the discussion - the new generation  Techno Toddlers


A little more on the Flipped Classroom for those interested.  Videos Turn Homework on its Head


This site is a great resource for copyright free images  - need to sign up though.  This images are of a reasonable quality and some you won't find anywhere else.

Bigger Class Sizes

One hot topic for educators at the moment is bigger class sizes.  Luckily some research has been completed to give us an idea of the ideal size.

The flipping classroom.....

The 'Flipped Classroom' is generating more and more interest in secondary schools.  Some teachers are thinking a little differently about how their program might run and what the most important classroom based activities are.

Article about a school trailing the Flipped Classroom

Previous post (and background) about this topic here


Any thoughts on the concept?

Visable tweets

Hey Tweeters - was shown this great site today for following a Tweet Stream.  You don;t have to join - just type in a topic or hash tag to follow - eg Try #edchat ....

Whatever, Wherever, Whenever.

I quite like this quote from one of  the articles below  "The new “WWW” really means “Whatever, Wherever, Whenever.” "

I read these two articles one after another and they had me thinking about how the world is changing at pace and will never go back.  The first article is thought provoking with some warnings about tech use and the second advocating more tech use!  I liked the contrast.

Whatever, Wherever, Whenever is here to stay!

Heading for an iDisorder?

Revisiting Cell Phones in Schools

Nothing Much.....

What did you do at school today?   Uh....oh...nothing much....  


Mark Herring has posted a video of his classroom 'in a day'  Well worth a look and a good way to look at classroom dynamics during the day.  Simple technology and easy to do - maybe a good reflective tool to try (time lapse photography)

Well worth a look.  Thanks Mark.

More details here


Nothing Much from mark herring on Vimeo.

IWB Hub

Wednesday 28 May 1.30pm - 4:30pm

Cromwell College

Please bring ...
-your laptop and power cord,
-a data stick loaded with a teaching resource to share with others in your class year level
-a skill to share using either your mimio or activ inspire board (something kool your IWB does that others may not know about)
-lots of discussion and an open mind

Open meeting for any staff using an IWB

Agenda

Welcome
Share aims of the group
- to share resources for the purpose of teaching with an IWB
- create a network of specialist teachers who lead IWB professional development within their own school.
-develop a pedagogy that integrates authentic and purposeful technologies into classroom teaching and learning
Disussion
“How does an IWB promote higher order thinking in the classroom?”
A fertile question that cannot be a yes or no answer. Aim to ensure technology used within class is purposeful and enhances teaching and learning effectively.
Video clip to challenge thinking
Share n Swap
a wee get together at similar levels in groups to share and swap resources with data sticks.
Tecky Skills Swap
Regroup into Inspire activ boards and mimios to share 1 technique and/or skills  regardless of level
Reflection
Everyone to share 1 thing they will take away and 1 thing they will show someone else at school.