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Related: Blogs to follow • MakerTeaching and Learning News provide by Expert Educational Consultants In this episode, Alan speaks with Ewan McIntosh, Founder of NoTosh, out of Edinburgh, Scotland. The two begin with a discussion about Ewan’s work with design thinking for developing a new learning ecology within an International Baccalaureate school in Barcelona, Spain. This leads in to a conversation about the emotional process teachers go through in relinquishing some of their established control within the classroom.
Linking Literature to Makerspaces Libraries seem to be the space where makerspaces are taking off. The library is a place of engagement, learning, discovery, belonging, community, creativity and innovation. A makerspace is a place of engagement, learning, discovery, belonging, community, creativity and innovation.
Common Core: Reading, Understanding & Analyzing Complex Texts *ISTE Workshop: Transitioning to the Common Core with Google Apps – Join me! In my previous post “Common Core: What is a ‘complex text’ anyway?” I wrote about the three aspects of a text that the Common Core measures to determine its “complexity,” which include: 1) quantitative, 2) qualitative, 3) reader and task. Hopefully, that post helped to clarify how we as educators can evaluate the complexity of a text we are using with our students. This blog will focus on ways we can support students in reading, understanding and analyzing those texts. Instructional Strategies Online "What children learn depends not only on what they are taught but also how they are taught, their development level, and their interests and experiences.... These beliefs require that much closer attention be paid to the methods chosen for presenting material..." Understanding the Common Essential Learnings, Saskatchewan Education, 1988. (p.10) "The last decades of research in human learning have presented new insights into the ways that learners are active in constructing their own understanding.
Video: Watch Richard Byrne (@RMByrne) on @TeacherCast LIVE from #ISTE2014 - TeacherCast.net: Educational Blogs, Podcasts, App Reviews and more On Saturday June 28, TeacherCast welcomed Free Tech for Teachers founder, Richard Byrne, onto TeacherCast LIVE at ISTE2014. About the author Jeffrey Bradbury, the creator of TeacherCast.net and TeacherCast University is a highly respected educational consultant. Education Week Published Online: November 3, 2015 Published in Print: November 4, 2015, as Moving Beyond the Hype of the 3-D Printer Commentary By Jennifer Oxman Ryan Makers—in the broadest sense, those who make things—and the maker movement have gone mainstream. Featured in articles from the Smithsonian to The Atlantic to The New York Times, today's makers are just as likely to be armed with traditional tools like hammers, anvils, and yarn, as they are with conductive paint, 3-D printers, and computers.
We Don't Like "Projects" So I recently quit my job and started my own school with the support of a local media company, the second largest school district in Iowa, and a groundswell of community interest. Our philosophy boils down to a fairly liberal project-based learning environment. As I began the marketing push to enroll students, I uncovered some frankly stunning assumptions that many students have about learning: The word "project" is not a happy word. When I say project-based learning, most students grimace as they imagine prescribed PowerPoints.If a teacher doesn't plan it, it's not learning.If there isn't a test, it wasn't real.Their personal interests cannot inform their learning.
PBL – the best teaching method in the 21st century instruction Let me start this article with what Obama says in a speech at the Center for American Progress : “ Let’s be clear — we are failing too many of our children. We’re sending them out into a 21st century economy by sending them through the doors of 20th century schools.” This is a true statement issued from the lips of a political person rather than an educator. There is a profound disconnect between what students are being taught and what the actual world is demanding of them as adults. It sounds like there exists two worlds one inside the school and the other outside.
Teacher in a Strange Land By Nancy Flanagan January 1, 2015 at 5:37 PM Even though a child may indeed be reveling in and absorbing the wonders of a rich travel experience, or a deeply rewarding family visit, back home in the classroom, they're...behind. And school time is sacred. Or not. By Nancy Flanagan December 24, 2014 at 8:00 AM Middle School Maker Journey: Students' First Impressions of "Digital Shop" The big day was upon us. Hundreds of man-hours of preparation. Thousands of dollars invested in equipment and supplies. An untested, unproven design incorporating materials not usually found in schools. Infographic: Blended Learning From the Ground Up In February, we released the Blended Learning Implementation Guide paper and How to Implement Blended Learning infographic as one of the projects in the DLN Smart Series. This summer we’re working with Digital Learning Now! to bundle the series as a ebook that will include updated versions of all eight papers. Working with Scott Ellis and The Learning Accelerator, we created the first version of the Blended Learning Implementation Guide so schools and districts could kick the tires, put the guide to work in the field, and share their feedback — so we could make version 2.0 an even more useful tool.
How Does Project-Based Learning Work? Tools for understanding the process of planning and building projects. Project-based learning, as with all lessons, requires much preparation and planning. It begins with an idea and an essential question. When you are designing the project and the essential question that will launch the activities, it is important to remember that many content standards will be addressed. With these standards in mind, devise a plan that will integrate as many subjects as possible into the project. Have in mind what materials and resources will be accessible to the students. States of Matter: Engaging Students With Snow and Science States of matter can be a tricky topic to broach with young students. My students quickly attach to solids and liquids, but gas isn’t apparent, and phase changes are confusing. There are many scientific inquiry activities out there to explore phases. Combine science learning with some math activities and reading, and all of a sudden you have integrated lessons that make learning stick. These are a few of my class's favorites: Background Knowledge