How we will learn

How Learning Environments Are Changing Culture Digital Tools Teaching Strategies A school’s perimeters are no longer the only place students learn. Kids are learning about the world from their homes, from the community, and anywhere it’s available to them. Here’s a look at trends in the future of learning environments. The Three Key Trends 21st century education Revised August 2008. Your Assignment, Should You Choose to Accept It . . . Like Alice, many educators, policy makers and even the general public respond resoundingly with "That's impossible!" when challenged to adopt a new paradigm of education for the 21st century. 2¢ Worth Listen A few weeks ago I worked and attended North Carolina's ISTE affiliate conference. I opened the NCTIES conference with a breakfast keynote address and Marc Prensky closed it with a luncheon keynote the next day. Sadly, I missed the second day of the conference.

Top 7 iPad Apps for Music Teachers Posted on November 17th, 2011 in iPads, Music Tech Tips. I’ve been using my iPad a lot recently, in preparation for my new, hands-on iPads: Perform, Create, Learn professional development course and have been running a number of apps through their paces. The amount of apps available really is overwhelming and the challenge is to separate the ones with substance and educational value from the novelty apps. Three Trends That Will Shape the Future of Curriculum Big Ideas Culture Digital Tools Teaching Strategies What we as adults experienced in school, as educators and students, will bear little resemblance to what lies ahead. Here’s a look at current trends, their implications, and changes to watch for. The Three Key Trends

Peter Thiel gives new class of students $100K to forgo college They can’t buy a celebratory bottle of champagne, but they’re hoping to start a new business. Meet the new class of under 20 would-be college kids dropping out of college to work on their entrepreneurial dreams under the watchful eye of investor Peter Thiel. The early Facebook investor set up a program last year to give 20 teens and young adults the chance to play around with $100,000 while building a business. Now in its second year, The Thiel Fellowship is unveiling the newest fellows to join the program. Thiel’s Fellowship is simple; select 20 promising students, no older than 20, with grand ideas to change the world or start a new business. Then, give them $100,000 over two years of the program and surround them with mentors to teach them.

Music apps – a music teacher’s perspective « Brave new world As I’ve already mentioned before, I’m in the process of investigating iPad apps for learning enhancement in the classroom. A few weeks ago a colleague and brilliant music educator, Stuart Collidge, joined me in a meeting with our Deputy Principal (Curriculum) and a few other leaders in the school, to put forward a case for the use of iPads in the school, specifically for learning enhancement. I asked Stuart to write up how he sees the use of the iPad in the music classroom. Recently, Tania asked me to speak with some of the decision-making powers that be at school to pitch the use of iPads as learning tools. This was something that Tania and I had reflected on a little and saw some potential in so I was more than happy to make the pitch. After borrowing Tania’s iPad to have a play on (I am not yet one of the iPad collective L), I worked my way through a few possible applications and uses.

Three Trends That Define the Future of Teaching and Learning Culture Digital Tools Teaching Strategies This week, we feature the most popular posts of the year on MindShift. In today’s dynamic classrooms, the teaching and learning process is becoming more nuanced, more seamless, and it flows back and forth from students to teachers. Here’s a look at current trends in teaching and learning, their implications, and changes to watch for. The Three Key Trends Does The Online Education Revolution Mean The Death Of The Diploma? Education is changing, and it’s changing fast. Anyone can put together a personalized educational experience via digital textbooks accessible by iPad, video learning from top university faculty, or peer-led discussion. People of all demographics are gathering their own seeds of education and cultivating lush sets of hybrid tools to deal with the rapid knowledge replenishment that’s essential in an economy where massive career specialization and constant innovation reign. What we’re witnessing is a bottom-up revolution in education: Learners, not institutions, are leading innovation. This is an era of plenty.

Super Round-Up - iPads in Music Education Super Round-Up: iPads in Music Education Posted on July 19th, 2011 in iPads, Music Tech Tips.Back in April, I was lucky enough to get my first iPad. I’ve had an iPhone for a couple of years now, but the iPad – with its large screen – really opens up possibilities for use in the classroom. I soon discovered there are lots of music apps (of varying quality) and I’m still testing many out to create my list of favourites. Universities See our list of the top schools offering free courses online. Learn about what types of courses are available to find the school and courses that are right for you. Online Courses for Credit Plenty of free resources are available online for students who want to learn a new topic, but these free options don't generally lead to college credit.