Why Should Educators Use Twitter

In this video a colleague whom I follow on Twitter, Justin Tarte, shares what educators, particularly teachers, can gain from using Twitter. I invite you to take a look, and if you want an introduction to Twitter, just let me know. If you are already on Twitter, Justin provides a list of educators to follow and explains what their contributions are.

PowerPoint Tips

Go through this presentation to learn some do and don't of using PowerPoint, and please take some time to offer your comments after you have viewed the slides.

10 Tips for Making Beautiful Slideshow Presentations

View more presentations from Edahn Small

Old Topic, New Twist: Teachers and Facebook

Image from http://edudemic.com/2011/01/every-teachers-must-have-guide-to-facebook/

Before we bemoan Facebook as a teaching tool, we might consider its possibilities. In this short piece, Every Teacher's Must Have Guide to Facebook, we see a list of what not to do as well as what to do. Does the what to do list help you? Do you see potential applications for using Facebook as a teaching tool, assuming it is unblocked in schools, or at least usable by students outside the school walls for educational uses?

GMail Tips

image from: http://www.thethinkingstick.com/5-gmail-tips-for-teachers

If you use G-mail or are considering it, check this list of tips for ways to use G-mail productively to contribute to learning and your own organizational skills: 5 G-Mail Tips for Teachers. You are bound to find fresh ideas in this post. Let us know what you like.

Harness the Power of Google

We all use Google for one thing or another, but Google is much more than a search engine. Check this post 100+ Google Tricks for Educators. Let us know what you find of interest to others and why this use of Google appeals to you.

Tips for New (and Veteran) Teachers

Looking for Teaching Tips?
Twenty Tidbits for New Teachers offers an array of helpful hints not just for newbies, but any teacher.  Skim through the list, and check some of the sites to which links are supplied.

What Did You Find?
You are sure to find tips with which you agree as well as some you have not thought of but would like to try. Let us know what you discover, and what you would recommend to others.

Resources for New Teachers
The author of this list, Lisa M. Dabbs, frequently writes for new teachers in a variety of forums, including moderating the new teachers' Twitter chat, #ntchat. If you are on Twitter, you might look for the #ntchat as well as want to follow Lisa @teachingwthsoul.


What Is Edutopia: Is It Utopia?

Lisa posted this blog for the 20th anniversary edition of Edutopia. Find out more about this publication at its Home Page. Check the multitude of resources Edutopia offers.

Image credit: Edutopia logo.

Computers Are Not the Panacea: What Is?

The NY Times ran a comprehensive and already controversial story, Sunday, September 3, 2011, on the implementation of technology in schools. A large part of the article, "In Classroom of the Future, Stagnant Scores," addresses a school system in Arizona that has spent a fortune on technology. The article points out that although test scores have not gone up, some would point out that the technology is infusing skills that standardized tests don’t measure. By and large, teachers, administrators, and parents of students in the school system under study are satisfied with the technology, but some are wondering if the school system can afford the expense.

The article raises numerous points, and it should be read in depth and critiqued. Already a profusion of response has occurred with the story just breaking. Discussions on social media sites have been prolific. One excellent response is offered in this article., Future, Stagnant Tests: Pointed Response to NY Times "Grading the Digital School."


Another educator posted this critique: Schools, Technology, Test Scores, and The New York Times. The critique raises six issues not only related to the assertions found in the NYT article, but also pertinent to the general issue of the need to increase the effectiveness of our technology integration. One of the points made is it not the technology per se, but how it is used that results in effective learning. The author, Scott McLeod, also notes that creative and critical thinking aspects of using technology to enhance learning are not easily measured by standardized test (i.e., multiple choice items), which is one of the flaws he sees in using these tests to determine if computer usage improves learning.

Read the NY Times article and the counter responses, and share your thoughts and critique. Perhaps you have read other responses to the NY article and want to share links to them. The discussion will continue in education, and is one that all educators should engage in and keep an open eye to as well as an open mind.

On a related matter, another NY Times piece, What Will Schools Look Like in 10 Years, ends up not so much predicting the future, but more so the here and now. Some comments even cover the past. Access the piece, and read through the opening remarks, from experts in education and technology. Also, read the comments from outside respondents. Where do you fall in this debate? Which positions do you support, and which do you find contrary to your views, and why?

Yes, this is a long post with several links, but it raises issues we face in education and will continue to face. The why, when, how, and what questions must be addressed. Weigh in on the issues after consulting the sources highlighted here.

Image credit: Jim Wilson/The New York Times

The Kids Should See This

Image from
The Kids Should See
This Site

Check this excellent site, The Kids Should See This, for videos to use in the classroom. They range from science to music and other creative arts to any number of areas including the language arts. Browse through the collection, and let us know what you find that is of interest to you and what you might use in the classroom. If you have other favorite sites for finding videos to use in the classroom or a favorite educational video that you think we should see, please post information and a link for us. Thanks for sharing.

Skype in the Classroom: Connecting Students across Schools

Connecting Classrooms with Skype describes a project connecting students in two states: Washington and North Carolina.  Students in both classes created PowerPoints on Native Americans and also created questions for their Skype exchange. The site Connecting Classrooms with Skype provides tips for creating cross-classroom Skype projects and contains some informative videos. Have you used Skype? Have you seen cases of classrooms Skyping with one another? What did you think of the Connecting Classrooms with Skype project? Was the Connecting Classrooms with Skype site helpful?

Top 50 School Technology Blogs

This list of Top 50 School Technology Blogs will surely contain some that will pique your interest. Among them are iLearning Technology and the Cool Cat Teacher Blog. With 50 listed, you will definitely find some blogs of value to you professionally. After checking the list and browsing a few of the blogs, let us know which of the blogs appeal to you and why.
If you have other favorite blogs, let us know and leave a link

21st Century Curriculum and Assessment Framework

21st Century Curriculum and Assessment Framework

Use the headline link to connect to the National Council of Teaches of English's recent position statement on 21st Century standards for literacy, which includes points about multimedia literacy. This position statement is relevant to all disciplines and grade levels. After reviewing the position statement and its points, post your response to the content and rationale for this position statement.

Looking for Ideas for Students to Blog About

Check this resource: 10 Teen Blogging Topics to Jump Start Creative Ideas The topics apply to other age groups, as well, and will also help you think of new ideas. Which of these ideas would you use? What new ideas do you get from reading through these 10 topics?

Image from: http://www.peacefulmind.com/creativity.htm

Yes to Blogging in the Classroom

On the Cool Teacher blog, Vicki Davis, gives 12 reasons to incorporate student blogging into the curriculum. Among them, blogging gives student a chance to practice writing in a form other than the conventional essay, it helps students develop their writing voice, it encourages collaborative learning, and it affords students opportunities to enhance technology skills in a real-world writing situation. Read Vicki’s full explanation on her blog post: 12 Reasons to Blog with Your Students. Do you agree with Vicki? Do you use blogging in your teaching? If you are not using it now, would you in the future? What do you see as the pros? Are there drawbacks?

TodaysMeet: Perfect Tool for On-the-Spot, Total Student Engagement

Looking for a way for students to write comments during class for all to see and interact. TodaysMeet is the answer. It is a safe environment for students to post comments, a bit like Twitter, but all comments are just seen by those who are given the URL to join the discussion. It is easy for a teacher to moderate the comments, and the students are not off on the Internet using an open, public site like Twitter. TodaysMeet is excellent for backchanneling, having a place for students to write comments and pose questions while a class is in session. Check out at the site's About TodaysMeet, and then grab some friends, set up a room at the main TodaysMeet page by entering a URL, and then sending the URL to those you want to join in. TodaysMeet is definitely a powerful teaching tool. Here is also a video to learn more about TodaysMeet. Additionally, check this blog post one educator wrote about using the tool: Backchanneling with Elementary School Students. If you have checked out TodaysMeet, let us know your thoughts. If you have used it, tell us about your experiences. What are your suggestions for using the tool with students?

Web 2.0 Tools by Category

Image from: docentesenextremadura.wikispaces.com

At the 2011 International Society for Technology in Education Conference, David Clough, an elementary school technology education coordinator, shared a helpful grid, 3X3 Links that offers links to Web 2.0 tools by such categories as Sound, Collaboration, and Avatars. Click on any one of the boxes in the grid to get a listing of tools that fall into each category, and then access each tool online for more information. You will likely discover new tools and familiar ones. Which are new? Which would you like to try? Which have you used that you would recommend? At the conference, we tried most of the tools, and then we shared what we created in a site called Stixy.

Ideas for Using VoiceThread, A Powerful Learning Tool!

Image from: elearningclouds.com

What is a VoiceThread?  Check this introduction video.

Looking for samples of ways VoiceThread has been used in a variety of classrooms, K-12? This wiki, VoiceThread4Education is your excellent source. Samples are sorted by grade level.

VoiceThread is an excellent tool to promote the 4 C’s: Communication, Commenting, Creativity, and Collaboration. I am including a link to access from a wiki a Slide Show (use arrow keys to advance through the show) that outlines these four features as well as links to specific VoiceThreads that illustrate each concept.

Once you access the wiki, VoiceThread4Education, note the side links to access VoiceThreads by grade level and to meet other needs.

Here is a list and links to some of the model VoiceThreads you will find through the wiki. In addition, the links will take you to the teacher tips about the VoiceThread, and then as you scroll down the page, you will find the VoiceThread itself. Use the arrow keys to advance through the VoiceThread. Be sure to have sound on and to click on the comments and soundbites alongside the displays as you go through the VoiceThreads. The listed VoiceThreads are categorized by the feature they exemplify: commenting, collaboration, commenting, or creativity, though all VoiceThreads are likely to integrate all four features in some way. Check the wiki, VoiceThread4Education, often for additions, and if you create with your students a model VoiceThread, be sure to add it to the wiki.

Commenting

• My Fellow Americans - http://voicethread.com/share/300897/
• Many Voices of Darfur - http://voicethread.com/share/85497/

Communication

• 1st Grade talking about books - http://voicethread.com/about/library/1st_grade__Reading_Analysis_from_Leanne_Windsor/
• 8th Grade debate - http://voicethread.com/share/774475/
• 10th Grade Career report - http://voicethread.com/share/70584/

Creativity

• 2nd Grade - I Spy (photos) http://voicethread.com/about/library/2nd_graders_play_ISpy/
• Year 7 Water Cycle (artwork) http://voicethread.com/share/118753/
• 6th Grade Math (video) http://voicethread.com/about/library/6th_Grade_math_from_Jackie_Ionno/

Collaboration

• 4th & 5th Grade progressive stories http://writeyourstory.wikispaces.com/story++40
• 4th Grade Letters from the Internment Camps http://voicethread.com/about/library/4th_Grade__Letters_from_the_Internment_Camps/

Other Examples shared

• VoiceThread for Online Teaching and Learning http://voicethread.com/share/908650/
• 5 yr old collecting 100 comments for 100th day celebration http://voicethread.com/share/321990/
• 3rd Grade – Strategies to help with bullying http://voicethread.com/share/1814765/
• 5th grade Flip book animations - http://voicethread.com/share/253737/
• Professional Development: Reflecting on NETS for Teachers http://voicethread.com/share/330098/
• Booktalks from Ms. Skalkottas's Class - http://www.mchslibrary.org/booktalks-from-ms-ss-class.html

Thank you to Colette Cassinelli for sharing this excellent information at the June 2011 International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) Conference.

Do You Meet Teacher Standards for Technololgy?

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) publishes the national standards for technology competency for teachers, students, and administrators. Provided below are links to the standards for both teachers and students. Review these standards, and comment upon where you fit and where you believe the students you see in local schools fit. How well  are schools in your local area meeting these standards? How well do you meet the standards as a professional in the field of teaching? There are five standards for teachers, each with sub parts. Do you meet all of these standards?
Teacher Standards
Student Standards
Do you think teachers should be required to demonstrate how they comply with student standards when authoring teaching materials, such as lesson plans, unit plans, compliance reports, etc.? Should students in Schools of Education incorporate the student standards in lesson and curricular plans that they author?
Do you see a need for any updates in the teacher or student standards? If so, what is missing or needs changing? How well overall do you believe schools and teachers meet these general standards?

Web 2 Tools that Will Instantly Impact Your Classroom

This blog post, Web 2.0 Tools that Will Instantly Impact Your Classroom is an excellent resource for any teacher looking to expand his or her toolbox. Some on the list you will recognize, but have not tried, and maybe the descriptions will entice you to do so now. Others you might not have heard of, but the descriptions will help you decide if they are worth investigating for your teaching or professional needs.  The site is worth bookmarking, assuming you use a bookmarking site like Diigo, one of the tools actually mentioned in the blog. Explore the link, and get back to this blog to let us know your findings and what you plan to research and what you would recommend to others. The blog, Fishing for Technology looks like a good one to remember and bookmark for other blog postings as well.


Image from: http://fishingforedtech.wordpress.com/2011/06/05/web-2-0-tools-that-will-instantly-impact-your-classroom/

Where's Education Heading Today?

Watch these two videos back to back. The second one you have probably seen, but seeing the two in juxtaposition should trigger insights worth sharing about where education, learning, students, and teachers are heading today or need to be. Share your thoughts.

Visions of Students Today (from Michael Wesch)





Social Media Revolution 2011, by Erik Qualman -

12-Year-Old Autistic Boy Surpasses Einstein's Theory of Relativity

Last night, I caught in Autism News an amazing story that is worth passing along in case you have not heard of this genius boy: Autistic Boy, 12 with Higher IQ than Einstein Develops His Own Theory of Relativity.  Already a college student, ready to take on doctoral research in astrophysics, he has created his own theory of relativity, adding to Einstein's work. Jacob Barnett, the boy, taught himself algebra, geometry, calculus, and trigonometry--all within a week, and he is now tutoring college students in these subjects. Check the story in Autism News, and let us know if you have heard about this wonder boy already. If not, do you find the story credible?

Watch Jacob teach Calculus 2:



I'm having trouble thinking of tags (labels) for this blog, so let me know your suggestions. Where do you think I originally heard about this story? Where else, but through a Twitter tweet from a colleague who provided the link to the Autism News story. I am finding the story so incredulous, I don't know if I yet believe it or not. What about you?