Design Thinking « Design Thinking for Educators. Guide: Using the SAMR Model to Guide Learning | That #EdTech Guy's Blog. Technology is an immense tool that can transform the way students learn. One of my favourite quotes which demonstrates this comes from Steve Jobs: “What a computer is to me is it’s the most remarkable tool that we’ve ever come up with, and it’s the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.“ To me, this quote best illustrates the potential impact technology can have on learning. (Image Credit: Jonathan Brubaker (@mrjbrubaker)) Background The SAMR Model (above) was developed by Dr. . – Enhancement (Substitution and Augmentation) – technology is used just to enhance a task– Transformation (Modification and Redefinition) – tasks are designed in a way which would not be possible without the use of technology How does it work?
– Substitution – at this stage, technology is simply used as an alternative tool for completing the original task with no real change in the tasks function. Example: instead of writing by hand, learners use an app like Pages to type up a report. (Image Credit: Ruben Puentedura) Home - TTA. Engagelearnbehavesummit.com.au - # Draft Program. Tony Rudd sur Twitter : "The GROWTH coaching model... Collaboration-personas-the-9-types-of-collaborators.
Start Your Teaching Blog: Resources, Advice, and Examples. What's on your summer to-do list? Starting your teacher blog? There's a vibrant online community of educators sharing their expertise in writing, and the topics that get covered offer insights into just about everything, including practice, policy, education technology, and many more. Summer is the perfect time to join that conversation by starting a blog of your own. Here are some of the best guides and sources of inspiration to get you started. And for all of the veteran bloggers out there, hopefully there's something here for you, too! Tip and Tools for Getting Started 30 Days to Kick Start Your Blogging: Last year, Edublogs, a great network of teacher blogs, hosted this 30-day challenge. A Goldmine of Inspiration With so many insightful ed blogs out there, this list of examples just scratches the surface.
Create a Teaching Blog! Words of Advice from Veteran Bloggers Ready to get started? A Great Poster on How to Use Blogs as A Teacher. O'Connell - New Master of Education (Knowledge. Professional development for educators. Free Professional Development workshops on Cybersafety for teachers at your school, or at a central venue Developed in consultation with key stakeholders and educational bodies, our workshops provide teachers, including casual relief teachers, with a comprehensive understanding of a modern student's exposure and use of technology including their: online profile digital literacy positive online behaviour personal and peer safety. Teachers who attend these accredited workshops will be: better equipped with the tools and confidence to engage students on cybersafety issues more aware of the capabilities required to develop good digital citizens more aware of the school's and teachers' legal obligations to minimise and address risks better able to incorporate strategies into the curriculum to keep students safe better able to identify and prevent cyberbullying taken through key Cybersmart teaching resources—case studies, policies, lesson plans and more.
Customisable onsite workshops. Sophia Learning. Engaging School Handbook_0.pdf. 27 Reasons to Blog. Why Students Should Run Professional Development For Teachers. Today’s students are surrounded by technology. From laptops to smartphones to tablets, students use devices and apps for personal entertainment, communicating with friends and family, and even for education.
Not only is technology easy for them to use, giving them a central place where everything important is located, they also enjoy using these devices. That’s why when it comes to education, teachers need to listen to students. In my technology class, students are creating video tutorials that explain how their teachers can use various technologies and platforms (currently we’re making tutorials for Google Apps). Students are given a voice in deciding what technologies and apps they want to use in school. While professional develop courses are still valuable for teachers to attend, our student-produced videos allow teachers to get the majority of their technology training without having to miss classes.
Students also love having input on their education. Apps for Professional Development. Teacher Collaboration: 7 Time Saving Sites! | Always Prepped Blog. So, you’re stuck in your planning period trying to plan the perfect lesson for your students. With technology, you don’t have to plan alone! There are so many resources out there, some of which are free. Below are 7 collaborative technology websites for teachers: 1) ShareMyLesson – Free website that has over 255,478 free teaching resources for you to use in your classroom and school today. The number updates daily. 2) Better Lesson – Collaborate with teachers anywhere. 3) Teachade – Founded in 2009, Teachade describes themselves as “the first social networking website designed specifically for educators.” 4) Claco – Allows you to collaborate with educators across the hall or across the globe. 5) Teachers Pay Teachers – What a great concept. 6) Get Worksheets – There is a cost to use this service ($30/year), but you can download pre-made worksheets for your students. 7) Pinterest – Teachers love pinterest.
Also, many teachers also use Twitter to expand their PLN and to collaborate online. 6 powerful strategies for paradigm-shifting teacher PD. Height=”224″ />As educators and leaders, we need to re-think every aspect of our professional practice to consider ‘could we be doing this better?’ Here is a brain-dump of the 6 most powerful strategies that I have used or in which I have participated. 1. Use a ‘hands-on’ approach that teaches team work I want the teachers for whom I am accountable to comprehensively embrace student centred, inquiry based learning. If as a school leader I expect staff to sit in a room listening to me talk for longer than 5 minutes (or saying anything at all), then I am assuming that the collective cost of the time of the number of attendees is best spent that way.
Instead, use the mode of PD as a means to shift staff practice by getting everyone to experience the methodology you are advocating. The emphasis on this style of PD is that you get teachers to do exactly what you would want them to do with students. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 3 Ways To Create a Differentiated PD Menu. There is no need to explain why teachers should have the same benefit of differentiated learning as students do. Fundamentally, most people agree with the idea, but for some reason the differentiated professional development experience seems more the exception than the rule. Here are three juicy options to give teachers what they’re craving.
Appetizer: Pick Strategically, Not Randomly Pre-assessments and formative assessments are critical to the DI experience. How would we know where to begin if we do not assess prior knowledge, student interest, and learning style? Before we start the PD experience for the year, perhaps we should find out: 1.) what teachers know Here are a few ideas on how you can make the most of your summer vacation away... So let’s look at a few simple teaching strategies teachers can use to take...
Here's how you can implement gamification into your classroom. Here are a few ways to bring technology in the classroom safely and responsibly. 3.) how they learn. Apps for Professional Development. Twitter App (free) Twitter is one of the most active and beneficial social networks on the web. All educators would be wise to join the conversation. If you haven’t used Twitter yet, I would recommend that you read these excellent blog posts: Google Voice (free) Text and call for free!
Also allows you to read transcribed voicemail messages or listen to them. Skype (free) A beautiful app that allows you to make and receive VOIP calls on your iOS device. HeyTell (free) A fun “walkie-talkie” app for quick voice communication. Consumption Apps FlipBoard (free) A beautiful app that turns your RSS reader (such as Google Reader) into a magazine. Zite (free) Similar to FlipBoard, however instead of just providing a beautiful interface to view content you select, Zite tries to introduce you to new content sources based off of sources you currently read. QR Code Readers Diigo (free) Research Apps: Google Search App (free) Genius Scan (free) Spring2013.pdf. Engagement_in_Australian_Schools__Grattan.pdf. A Collection of Great Books for Teachers.
I love reading books, particularly those related to my niche education. Several of the titles I have read this year are suggestions from my colleagues in my personal learning network together with some other titles I come across in other educational blogs and websites. I know our schedules, as teachers and educators,are busy and full but this should never be an excuse for not setting out at least an hour a day especially before bed time for reading. One of the strategies I use myself and really works good for me is that I make reading plans for each month, for instance at the end of each month I should have read at least 2 books and anything more is a plus for me.
I have also learned from some writers like Jeff Goings that giving yourself your favourite treat after finishing a book helps too. Today I am sharing with you some of the interesting books I have been reading. Here is a snapshot of this board and you can access it from the link HERE. Why Kids Need to Tinker to Learn. The Maker Movement has inspired progressive educators to bring more hands-on learning and tinkering into classrooms, and educator Gary Stager would like to see formal schooling be influenced by the Maker Movement, which has inspired young learners to tinker, to learn by doing, and take agency for their learning.
One way teachers can incorporate the Maker Movement into the classroom is through project-based learning (PBL), and learning prompts should be “brief, ambiguous and immune to assessment,” Sager said at ISTE. “The best projects push up against the resistance of reality. They work or they don’t work.” Kids simply need a supportive environment to tinker with an idea long enough to make it work, Stager said. They don’t need to be burdened by explaining which stage of the inquiry process they’re demonstrating. “We need to ask ourselves is there less we can do and more the kids can do?” [RELATED: Harvard Wants to Know: How Does Making Change Kids’ Brain?] Collaborative meetings. At the PYP course I took last week, I heard much about the need to develop collaborative teams of teachers.
As the PYP coordinator I facilitate planning meetings between teachers. The question I am grappling with this week is how can I ensure they are collaborative? And what is a collaborative meeting and why does it matter anyway? I meet with teachers in small and large teams, to plan our units of inquiry, to reflect on classroom successes and to acknowledge weaknesses in past units. I know our meetings need to be collaborative as they are usually about creation. Firstly I read that a collaborative meeting will be one which is not about agreement but about creation. Secondly collaboration is not about communication. Thirdly there are different forms of collaboration. There is much I still need to read and understand about collaboration.
If you are interested in learning more I recommend checking out the work of Richard DuFour. 27 Tips For Mentoring New Teachers. How does a teacher go from just a teacher to a great teacher? Some say that some people are just naturally great teachers. Others might believe that it is the education that they receive. And others yet, point to the mentors that these new teachers have when they start out teaching. The handy infographic below shows tips for new teachers, mentors, and administrators to help all parties involved get the most out of seasoned teachers mentoring new ones.
So if you’re looking for some quick tips and tricks to mentoring new teachers, this is for you. For Mentors: Find the strengths of the new teacher. Work together to find ways to implement and enhance these strengths. For New Teachers: Ask. For Administrators: Select mentors with care. 32 Habits That Make Thinkers. 32 Habits That Make Thinkers by Terry Heick 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? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. Bonus 33. Adapted Image attribution flickr user nasagoddardspaceflightcenter; 32 Habits That Make Thinkers. Education Week. Healthy Learning Handbook 3 2014 by Educational Experience.
Radical Learners « How we spend our days Radical Learners. How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives—Annie Dillard, The Writing Life I am so grateful to every educator who is returning to school these days to do the good work of helping students learn to read and write, to love learning, to dream, to learn how to achieve dreams. And I know the kind of commitment that goes into that good work. To change the future one day at a time, one child at a time requires tremendous energy and commitment. As I’ve written in other columns, to teach is to do the same noble work of so many other great people committed to a brighter future.
So it may seem strange to some that I write today to suggest that each of you be cautious as you commit your life to your work. The work is so important and beautiful, truly. But the work cannot be your life. For several years now I have been deeply committed to the same goal that many of you are committed to: every child receives excellent instruction, every day in every class. Why teachers should blog.