The use of digital badges has actually been around for a couple of years so if you do a simple Internet search, you will find a lot of information on this topic. As with all things found on the Internet, some resources are useful while others are not. Today we are going to share a few of the most useful guides and tools we have found.
“This tutorial will guide you through the basic steps to create a grading rubric for evaluating student performances. In this tutorial we will cover the following topics:”
A common question that we get with regard to technology projects is “how do I grade it?” The 21st-century communication and collaboration skills which are used with most technology based projects are, in many ways, real-world problem-solving skills. The standard, multiple-choice type tests simply are not going to be able to assess students’ learning. Instead of thinking of the assessment itself as the measurement, we are going to need to examine our students’ performances of understanding. In other words, the assessment is the tool through which we can gauge how much our students have learned.
Assessment & Rubrics for edtech related classroom activities http://t.co/3nINWUZ9Jm
There are lots of websites to recommend good apps. We have teamed up with experts Educational App Store to bring you a selection of good apps to use in lessons and at home.
This guide examines the use of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) models in schools. It looks at the potential opportunities and benefits, as well as the considerations, risks and implications that arise when schools allow students and staff to use personally owned devicesin the classroom and school environments. Strategies,tips and techniques are included to address the considerations and manage the risks.
The guide is NOT a step-by-step manual for implementing
models that enable students to use personally owned devices in school. While teachers, parents, community members and other stakeholders may find the guide informative, it is written with school and school authority administrators and leadership teams in mind. It is meant to inform their decision making and strategic planning should they decide to support a BYOD model in their schools.
Bring Your Own Device: A Guide for Schools https://t.co/9EhTkbugxn #BYOD
As a 21st century teacher, have you ever took the time to ponder on the skills you need to work on to improve your teaching ? what about technology, is it included in those skills ? Posing such questions and trying to find answers to them is one major component of a successful teaching experience. It is a healthy process indicative of a sound professional growth and the more we ask questions the better our teaching practice becomes.
Tablet computing and mobile devices promise to dramatically impact education. This Ning network was created to explore ways iPads and other portable devices could be used to re-imagine the process of education and re-kindle students’ innate desire to learn.
“We have just completed our course on writing and now we are waiting for stories suitable for Grade 3 students around Africa to read to be submitted from teachers around the country who have completed the course. WE hope that many of them will get their classes to write as well all in time for the launch of the African Storybook Project website in July. If you would like to contribute a story, please consider it”
SchoolNet SA-still time to submit a story suitable for GR3 readers for the African Storybook project. http://t.co/EhT9mP5T8k #fsteachers
This Google Site has been set up by Dr. Helen Barrett to focus on the use of Google Apps to create ePortfolios. On this site, there are instructions on how to use the different elements of Google Apps to maintain e-portfolios.
“What encourages students to do well in school? Often, it comes down to grades. Many students will work harder in order to earn a higher grade. Colleges want to see good grades. Parents want to see good grades. Grades are good, right? Of course they are, but the grades should not be the only goal. Learning for the sake of it should be a goal, including what they learned, how long they remembered it, and how they applied it to new situations.”
Lots of cool videos that can be used in flipped classrooms…
“We are so incredibly proud to announce that we have over 1000 videos in our library! Head on over to the Videos page and take a look around.”
Google announced a new service that could make Android tablets a stronger challenger to iPads in education. Google Play for Education (not live yet) promises the features that many of us have wanted for a long time.
Google Play for Education Promises What We’ve Been Waiting For http://t.co/5lGtsKELRG via @merryl4d Yaeahh
Unlock creativity with our free Mind Maps. Easy to use maps allow you the freedom to express ideas intuitively and quickly. Learning becomes fun and engaging with Flashcards. Study information & quickly test your knowledge in a fun way. Increase your motivation with ExamTime. Set goals and review progress with your study timeline.
Through simSchool, pre and in-service teachers, instructors, administrators, and others experience and improve knowledge and confidence in:
classroom management techniques
understanding diverse learning styles & behaviors
analyzing student information and data
task design and implementation
much more…..
“Learn English on Mobile Devices: With the proliferation of smart phones and tablet devices, learners are beginning to demand learning activities on their mobile devices. Learning out of the classroom is not the future, it’s already here. ESL Games Plus is here to lead the industry in mobile games that run within your web browsers – no apps to install. Just open the web page and start learning. At the moment, we have matching games for vocabulary practice, but more are on the way, so do come back soon. It’s all about educational games on iPad and Mobile Devices.”
“Below are links to examples of different digital games. We have grouped the games according to subject area and within the subject areas you will find different types of games: edutainment, serious games, and massive multiplayer online (MMO) games. We also have a short list of some of the more mainstream recreational games. (Note: many of the games could have been placed in multiple subject areas)”
Use Bump™ to share contact information, photos, videos, and files by simply bumping two phones together. Just open Bump, hold your phones, and gently bump your hands together — Bump will magically do all the rest.
• SYNC WITH YOUR COMPUTER: Visit http://bu.mp on your computer and bump your space bar to transfer photos, videos, and files
• SHARE CONTACTS: Share your contact info; connect on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
• SHARE PHOTOS: Share photos and videos with friends and family
• SHARE FILES: Share files or documents stored on your device
• SYNC DEVICES: Move contacts, photos, and files between your devices
• SHARE APPS: Share app recommendations
With more than 100 million downloads all over the world, you can use Bump with all of your friends!
Bump works cross-platform on iPhone, iPod, iPad, and most other modern mobile phones.
“There are a couple dozen ways to ‘use’ technology in education. There are also a couple dozen ways to integrate technology in education. Think those two things are the same? Think that throwing a few iPads and a few Edudemic blog posts into a classroom is the best way to launch a 1:1 initiative? In case you couldn’t guess, it’s not. “
Bullying is a tough topic. In short, bullying sucks, and no one should be doing it, and no one should have to endure being on the receiving end of a bully’s message. We’ve addressed it a few times before, but since it is an important message, it is worth mentioning again (and again!).
“There is a remarkable difference between using and interesting technology in education. Several teachers who think that they are integrating technology into their curriculum are simply using it because they still haven’t questioned and identified the reasons behind using technology. Integrating technology is different and as Kip Rogers writes in his wonderful book “Mobile Learning Devices ”,
I’ve also experienced schools and classrooms where: True integration of technology happens … where technology is accessible and available for activities as they are initiated. True integration of technology happens when form supports function when the tools support the goals of the curriculum and assist students in reaching their instructional goals.
It is not about technology, it is about what you can do with this technology that matters.”
Look around at any restaurant or mall and it’s easy to see: adults are always connected to their mobile devices. But as this technology becomes even more ingrained in our lives, what can we expect for our children? Studies show that – used wisely – technology can be an important part of their everyday lives as well.
I like the step in the right direction here but would like to take it further than….I want my students to…. by asking why should they blog? so an additional step is needed…. what is the final learning that you want to happen because of….
“Microsoft Mathematics Add-in for Microsoft Word and Microsoft OneNote makes it easy to plot graphs in 2D and 3D, solve equations or inequalities, and simplify algebraic expressions in your Word documents and OneNote notebooks.”
Download Mathematics Add-In from Official Microsoft Download Center http://t.co/ofIuS3U4p1
“Use video presentations and interactive assignments to impact students both in and out of the classroom. It’s simple and free” Explore over 10000 lessons in the free video library
In 2013, you don’t need to find a radio to listen in on quality broadcast programming. A laptop, MP3 player, tablet, or even a smartphone will work just as well. Even better, there is a wealth of content out there that’s both educational and entertaining, including some pretty amazing shows on scientific topics that are equally interesting to the layman and the professional. Whether you’re just getting into listening to science podcasts or are looking for a few new shows to add to your weekly collection, we’ve highlighted what we think are some of the best science podcasts out there right now. They’re informative, compelling, and even, at times, pretty darn funny, so make sure to check out one, two, or even all of these great science programs the next time you’re looking for a little edutainment.
“Use this downloadable PowerPoint show, complete with script in the Notes area, to walk students through the process of creating an infographic. The show includes tips on using the tools available in PowerPoint to “build” infographics right on a PowerPoint slide and save it as an image file. Even if you do not use PowerPoint, the tips will apply in any visual tool from Google Docs/Drive Drawing to a full image editing program such as Photoshop. Please note and respect the copyright notice on this show.
“This site was created out of a desire to network in an inclusive way with all teachers who wanted to find iPad, iPhone, and iPod resources that can be useful at the secondary level.
Many on-line articles say things like “The 10 best reading apps”, but many of the suggestions are aimed at primary and junior students. Hopefully the suggestions on this site will put intermediate and secondary teachers in touch with a few resources that apply more directly to them and their students. ”
“Flipped learning requires intentional content. Teachers are forced to really evaluate what content they need to teach and what things students should explore on their own. Let’s face it, direct instruction (lecture) can be an effective teaching tool. We can’t be afraid to admit that our students need someone to teach them a particular skill or concept. All flipped learning suggests is that we offload that instruction to a video. That way, when (or if) a student needs that instruction, they can get it whenever and wherever they are ready for that to happen (and yes, that includes using videos in class).”
“Shelley Wright is not afraid to admit that she made a mistake when it came to embracing the popular concept of flipped classrooms. About two years ago she gave the approach a try in her own classroom, saying at the time that in the hands of the right teacher, it could be a completely revolutionary approach to education.
Since then, she has flipped back, and in an article for Ed Tech Magazine she explains why.”
“Recently, I’ve been noticing that a lot of instructors are under the impression that they are successfully integrating technology, when in fact they are simply using technology. Although this might seem to some as just semantics, in my opinion there is a huge difference between the two – a difference that can be seen in the impact the technology usage has on student learning.”
RT @plnaugle: Love this chart – difference between using technology and integrating technology – http://t.co/CTLfbjqdYi. #4thchat #edref …
March has been so hectic that I only get to catch my breath now and report back on the inspiredteachers conference in Polokwane. I go to many conferences and places all over, but this conference stood out for me. It was warm, informal and inspiring- just like what it promised to be. Dunne, Debby, Thandi, Angela and Lizzie, the inspired team from Quality life really went all out to bring the conference to a besieged Limpopo, despite not getting any support from the Limpopo Department of Education as well as active opposition from the unions. Despite being fully booked we did not know how many teachers would turn up. But the teachers of Limpopo, against all odds, gave up their first day of holiday to enthusiastically attend in droves, which goes to show that you cannot keep inspired teachers down!
I did my normal twitter teacher advocacy, (see the presentation folder at the bottom of this post) and managed to welcome quite a few newbie egg- hatching teachers to the wonderful world of teaching and learning edutwitness.
Lali and Renos kept everybody energized throughout the conference with some inspiring teacher- building activities.
We were inspired by some real stories of innovation happening in Limpopo. Phuti Ragophala showed us that inspired teachers can transform a rubbish dump into a self sustaining community were teachers and the community work together to reduce the rate of unemployment and reduce poverty through taking ownership of their school. She showed us that it is possible to the learning and teaching passion of both learners and teachers and create a school that forms a hub of service delivery. She demonstrated that through commitment teachers can give their learners hope and a better education even within the constraints of a semi rural context.
Mmipe George Mokgehle, the Deputy Principal of Toronto Primary School challenged teachers to embrace technology in the classroom and become inspired technologicians. He pointed out that ICT is cost effective, simple, reliable and user friendly. He gave us a glimpse of what schools of the future will look like.
This site is currently in Beta as it is being moved from its old home at http://maggiev.edublogs.org. . Some of the links might not work. I am working my way though it. Please be patient :-)
