Learning styles & the importance of critical self-reflection

For teachers just starting out with educational technology, the task at hand can sometimes seem daunting. Even though tools such as the SAMR model can help, the plethora of choices available can prove paralyzing, frequently resulting in ongoing substitutive uses of the technology that block, rather than enable, more ambitious transformative goals. The approach below is designed to help overcome this barrier, and is inspired in its form by Alexander’s notion of Design Patterns -- a clearly structured solution to a recurring design problem -- which has been applied to education scenarios by Bergin et al. While it is not laid out exactly as a design pattern would be, it nonetheless provides a framework that a teacher could use in similar fashion. The goal for the teacher is to construct a simple SAMR ladder that is coupled to Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy -- i.e., as the task moves from lower to upper levels of the taxonomy, it also moves from lower to upper levels of SAMR. 1.

Amy Orben: ‘To talk about smartphones affecting the brain is a slippery slope’ Amy Orben is a research fellow at Emmanuel College and the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at the University of Cambridge. She works in the field of experimental psychology and her speciality is analysing large-scale datasets to determine how social media and the use of digital technology affect the wellbeing of teenagers. Her latest paper, co-written with Prof Andrew Przybylski, looks at teenage sleep and technology engagement. In recent years there has been a great deal of speculation about the possible harmful effects of digital technology, particularly smartphones, on mental health, the ability to concentrate, and sleep patterns. Is there any sound evidence to support these concerns?

Reflecting on Teaching Jon KonenSchool Principal "May the Force be with you!" Almost as commanding as the force, do you use the power of reflective thinking? The ability to reflect effectively can help a teacher both personally and professionally. One of the most underutilized tools educators use is the ability to reflect. Whether reflection is seen as too time consuming or plainly, a waste of time, many educators are missing the power to change or confirm their practices.

MobyMax Review for Teachers MobyMax is a standards-aligned K-8 learning platform for math, literacy, science, and social studies equipped with adaptive tests, test-prep lessons, interactive whiteboard activities, and motivational tools. MobyMax also features specific state test-prep activities. Unique features include multiple SSO login options, teachers' ability to assign badges for performance, student goal-setting, student-teacher messaging, and teacher-initiated class contests. The site also has a Wall feature where teachers can post class messages, assignments, events, and polls. Based on an initial adaptive test, teachers can select lessons for each student.

Panicking About Your Kids’ Phones? New Research Says Don’t SAN FRANCISCO — It has become common wisdom that too much time spent on smartphones and social media is responsible for a recent spike in anxiety, depression and other mental health problems, especially among teenagers. But a growing number of academic researchers have produced studies that suggest the common wisdom is wrong. The latest research, published on Friday by two psychology professors, combs through about 40 studies that have examined the link between social media use and both depression and anxiety among adolescents. That link, according to the professors, is small and inconsistent. “There doesn’t seem to be an evidence base that would explain the level of panic and consternation around these issues,” said Candice L.

A De-escalation Exercise for Upset Students So often we find students in a stressed or anxious state of mind. The most telltale signs are inappropriate behaviors or outbursts, negative comments, and anxiety-ridden movements such as fidgeting, leg shaking, and fist clenching. These signals should raise immediate concern and indicate to educators that a response may be needed. The goal is to guide the student to a self-regulated mindset, but how does a teacher do that? First let’s review what is going on with a student in the middle of an outburst.

BrainPOP Jr. Review for Teachers BrainPOP Jr. is a subscription-based educational video, game, and activity site for students in kindergarten through third grade. The main page is divided into math, reading and writing, science, social studies, health, and arts and technology. First, students choose one of the six main subjects. When they click the subject, it gets broken into more specific categories. Under each category, individual video topic and activities pages appear. If this has been super-decade, why are we still so angry? Editor’s note: The opinions in this article are the author’s, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. © ap A "Happy New Year" hat lies on the wet ground along with other items following the celebration… There is a strong case to be made that things are getting better. Load Error

13 Resources on the Keys to Effective Feedback - ASCD Inservice Effective student feedback consists of a few key elements that bring about positive change in student performance. Just as adults need clear directions and reviews when learning new skills, students need to have goal-oriented, user-friendly, timely, and consistent feedback. Learn specific strategies tied to these keys from Susan M. Brookhart, Doug Fisher & Nancy Frey, Grant Wiggins, and other education experts with this selection of resources just released on ASCD myTeachSource®. For more resources on effective feedback instructional practices, go to ASCD myTeachSource and sign up for a free two-week trial. Free

Storybird Review for Teachers Storybird is an online social platform (and Chrome app) for storytelling. Students act as authors, pairing their words with site-curated, licensed art. Students can compose text, but they can't upload their own art; they must use Storybird's curated collection in their picture books and illustrated poems. After signing up or logging in with teacher-provided credentials, students can read published stories or create their own. What’s so fascinating about weird children’s TV shows? - BBC Future “We were watching a whole lot of SpongeBob in lab meetings, and I felt I just couldn’t get any work done afterwards,” Lillard recalls. “I thought: ‘If that happens to me after watching it, I wonder what happens to four-year-olds.’” This prompted her to start a new study, looking at the impact of television viewing on children’s executive function – a set of cognitive abilities that include focusing attention, planning, deferring gratification and managing emotions. Compared to watching a different children’s cartoon, called Caillou (about the everyday life of a four-year-old), or simply doodling on paper with crayons, watching SpongeBob impaired four-year-olds’ performance on various tests, including reciting a list of numbers in reverse, and learning to touch their toes when being instructed to touch their head. At the time, Lillard thought it might have been the fast-paced editing that was to blame. Four years later, she published the results of a more thorough follow-up study.

What is AT? - Assistive Technology Industry Association Assistive technology (AT): products, equipment, and systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for persons with disabilities. Get started learning about assistive technology and the ATIA: What is assistive technology? Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities. Assistive technology helps people who have difficulty speaking, typing, writing, remembering, pointing, seeing, hearing, learning, walking, and many other things. Different disabilities require different assistive technologies. Flocabulary Review for Teachers Flocabulary is an online platform that delivers educational hip-hop songs, videos, and supplemental activities for kids in grades K-12. Flocabulary covers math, vocabulary, language arts, social studies, science, and life skills and offers a weekly news update, The Week in Rap (or The Week in Rap Junior for younger kids). Lessons contain music videos and clickable lyrics that can be played at three different speeds. After viewing these as a class or independently, kids can complete the accompanying games, quizzes, reading passages, and more. The individual teacher subscription gives access to the videos, lessons, activities, and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) correlations. The full whole-school plan includes quite a bit more, including a teacher dashboard and assignable, automatically scored quizzes.