You can never replace the teacher. Or can you? 8 ways to learn without teachers. I learned nothing in school that was meaningful to me or that I used for success in life. All that just-in-case stuff was a 12-year-sentence that was wasted on me. Instead of being introduced to subjects in which I might be interested, I was turned off from them and was left without the opportunity to discover, develop, or enjoy my passions. Not only that, although I was at the top of my class, I never learned anything I was tested on. I’m not saying no one likes or learns well in traditional school. e-Learning for Kids is a global, nonprofit foundation dedicated to fun and free learning on the Internet for children ages 5 - 12. My son learned to read completely on his own without me sitting there telling him what to do or how to do it.
How to Create Your Own Textbook — With or Without Apple By Dolores Gende Apple’s iBooks2 and authoring app has created big waves in education circles. But smart educators don’t necessarily need Apple’s slick devices and software to create their own books. How educators think of content curation in the classroom is enough to change their reliance on print textbooks. As the open education movement continues to grow and become an even more rich trove of resources, teachers can use the content to make their own interactive textbooks. It might seem daunting, but the availability of quality materials online and the power of tapping into personal learning networks should make it easier. Here’s how to create a digital textbook and strategies for involving the students in its development in three steps. 1. Teachers can work with colleagues within their subject area departments and beyond the walls of the classroom to aggregate resources through social bookmarking. 2. One of the most user-friendly tools to post resources for your course is LiveBinders.
Science Leadership Academy Big Picture Mike McKay » Means or Ends. Where’s our Focus? One of our challenges in transforming education in the 21st century (Yes, there is more than one challenge) is that we act as if our structures – schools, classrooms, curriculum documents, districts… are ends in themselves rather than means to a desired end. How often do we find ourselves making the case for something – perhaps a format or structure – as if it is the end/the goal rather than just one of many possible means toward that declared end. In the education narrative, let’s agree on the desired end: to develop human capacity so that the next generation will be well equipped to make positive contributions to the world they will inherit. That “end in mind” is worth achieving! Knowing that “the education system” isn’t an eternal truth is helpful to our transformation journey. As you read this, you may be thinking of innovations that already break down barriers and make learning the focus rather than having the construct of schooling take centre stage.
Protecting Reputations Online In the past, doing something embarrassing wasn't a big deal. It happened, and then people moved on. But now that things can be shared on the Web immediately, those embarrassing moments can last forever and impact your reputation and those of your friends. Let's talk about what happens on the Web. Search engines are constantly scanning it. Their goal is to take a snapshot of every word, picture and video on the web and save it for search results. Think about it this way. It starts with what you choose to put on websites. Luckily, you don't have to share everything publicly. Another step is asking your friends to think about what they share on the Web. Of course, you can't control everything on the Web. Sharing your life online can be fun and productive, but it can also mean losing some control.
Taking Next-Gen Classrooms Beyond the Pilot Smart Classroom Design | Features Taking Next-Gen Classrooms Beyond the Pilot How the University of Minnesota moved its Active Learning Classroom concept to prime time. By Jennifer Demski05/25/11 In early 2008, after piloting two Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) for only one full semester, the University of Minnesota had a decision to make: Should the new classroom format be incorporated into the design of its new Science Teaching and Student Services (STSS) building? Since faculty, students, and researchers all agreed that the ALC format was making a difference in teaching and learning, the answer was an unqualified yes. But the new classrooms would not simply duplicate the piloted setup. Technology-Enabled Classroom Design, Version 1 The ALC pilot rooms put the university at the forefront of next-generation classroom design.
Good Schools Start With Good Goals Good schools start with good goals. I really like the goal statements from Danville Schools, a small district south of Lexington: I love the fact that this starts with learning experiences. Superintendent Carmen Coleman said, “Project-based learning immerses students in meaningful experiences that teach them to think critically, problem-solve and adapt, just to name a few of those most essential skills.” I love the global preparedness in this statement and exhibited by, her team, and her board. I appreciate their focus on growth–for all students. I love the focus on writing and communication–it’s the right college and career focus. I love their connection to the community. Danville Schools serve about 1800 students, about two thirds live in or near poverty. Kentucky students have benefited from thoughtful leadership for years. In 2009, the district connected with the nonprofit Buck Institute for Education, a leading authority on project-based learning. This blog first appeared on EdWeek.
Guest Blog: What's the Best Way to Teach "At-Risk" Students? Mary Beth Hertz (@mbteach on Twitter) emerged as a leader in the afternoon #edchat, where forward-thinking educators from around the world connect and discuss different issues of the day. Her tweets during the chat reflected her knowledge and passion for at-risk youth and further revealed her fluency in the issues and challenges of at-risk students in the classroom. Here's her opinion and summary of this week's edchat. --Betty Ray, Community Manager (@EdutopiaBetty) and Elana Leoni, Social Media Marketing Coordinator (@elanaleoni) This week's #edchat discussion topic really hit home for me. I was excited to hear what my Twitter PLN had to say about "What teaching methods work best with at-risk students?" @mbteach: What does "at-risk" mean to you? @Gaiaellyn: For me "at risk" means child is at risk for not seeing and using their gifts and talents for good... @jasontbedell: Thinking of my students, they were kids who had stopped caring about school and were in real danger of failing out
Museum Box Homepage Explore Careers - Choose an interest or College Major Close <div style="width: 22em; position: absolute; left: 50%; margin-left: -11em; color: red; background-color: white; border: 1px solid red; padding: 4px; font-family: sans-serif"> Your web browser must have JavaScript enabled in order for this application to display correctly. </div> Skip Navigation Big Future Logo Sign up Sign in ShareThis Show me majors that match my interests Show me new career ideas Show me how others made their choices What are you into? Choose an interest below to get some ideas about possible college majors. Working with childrenAnimalsNature & the outdoorsProblem solvingHow people thinkMedia & current eventsDesign & styleWorking with my handsHelping othersEntertainment & sportsGadgets & experimentsSocial issues Add up your interests If you're like most students, you have several interests — interests that might add up to careers you hadn't thought of before. Art + Computers = ?? Education + Psychology = ?? Nature + Politics = ?? Get the insidescoop Visit the profiles Majors
Misguided Efforts in Educational Reform A few weeks back I passed along an Education Week article to administrators in my District that highlighted the many technology challenges that states anticipate with common tests. Below is a response to the article from Danielle Shanley, my Director of Curriculum and Instruction, as well as her sound synopsis of the misguided educational reform movement. I think educational leaders (I have been making my voice heard in a few venues, most recently this morning) need to begin to challenge these assessments due to the issues of inequality for all children. Image credit: What I think we really need is to have a more realistic approach at the center of the argument. We aren’t preparing our students to work on farms and in factories any more. We need to redefine the role of the teacher and the training of the teacher. I am all for improving education and student achievement.