Changing Society: Why Teachers Need to Embrace Technology Changing Society: Why Teachers Need to Embrace Technology By Guy Weaver closeAuthor: Guy Weaver Name: Guy WeaverSite: About: See Authors Posts (2)Missouri Baptist University Artifacts: Pre-Columbian Civilizations Webquest ( ) Today’s world is inundated with technology. Technology is constantly changing. Many teachers are rated on the low-end of the spectrum when it comes to technology in the classroom, myself included. Most teachers still embrace a textbook based style of learning within the classroom. In this society of global connectedness, teachers need to embrace the idea of actively involving the student in real life issues through the use of digital tools, especially the active use of computers in the classroom. Society is definitely turning from the traditional, conventional classroom and developing into an inspired, digital, virtual classroom. In order for myself to be effective, I must change with the time. Technology Reflection Bibliography
3 Great Professional Development Guides for Teachers Are you looking for some free professional development guides to read in the coming Christmas break? Edutopia has generously put up these three guides to help teachers and educators better improve their practice and enrich their instructional knowledge. I have just finished reading the second guide in this list and I must say they are really wonderful. Let me share with you a brief synopsis of each of them together with the links where you can access them. 1- Project-based Learning Professional Development guide This guide is divided into three parts: the first part is an introduction to project based learning in which the authors argue for the importance of PBL in learning together with some explanation on how it works. 2- Technology Integration professional Development Guide This guide walks you through the process of technology integration in education. 3- Assessment Professional Development Guide The content of this guide is structured in the same way as the previous guides.
Educational Technology and Mobile Learning: 10 Great Guides for Better Professional Learning Network I have recently published Teachers Guide to Personal/Professional Learning Networks ( PLNs ) in which I talked profusely about the importance of PLNs for our professional growth and I also provided some tools and tips on how to start creating your PLN from scratch. I did received a lot of feedback following the publication of that guide and based on some suggestions and recommendations from you I made necessary changes to it and I am still updating it whenever needs be. Thank you so much for your collaboration. Today I am adding more resources to this guide and hoping that you will find them equally useful.
The Teacher Tap: Professional Development Resources for Educators The Teacher Tap is a free, professional development resource that helps educators and librarians address common questions about the use of technology in teaching and learning by providing easy access to practical, online resources and activities. Check out the Project Overview for more information. For a more indepth look at these topics, go to our online courses including: We're in the process of updating this resource, so you'll find a mixture of old and new pages. 100 Best YouTube Videos for Teachers | Smart Teaching With the increasing use of technology in classrooms , it’s no wonder that teachers have a growing interest in using YouTube and other online media sharing sites to bring information into their classrooms. Here are 100 YouTube videos that can provide supplementary information for the class, give inspiration, help you keep control of class and even provide a few laughs here and there. History These videos can give your students a better insight into historical events. Learn History : This YouTube channel provides loads of videos on historical events related to crime and punishment and the American west. Science Make science more fun and interactive by using these videos in class. Rubber Hand Illusion : This video explores the strange phenomenon of the rubber hand illusion which can help get students interested in biology and psychology. Language Get advice on improving your language class or use these videos as classroom supplements. Arts ARTSplash! Inspiration Classroom Management Technology Humor
Top 8 Web Tools for Teacher's Professional Development I have been recently posting about teacher's professional development using web technologies and each time I do I would get emails asking for the tools I use personally. I compiled a list of the top 8 platforms I use almost daily for expanding my knowledge and staying updated about the topics that interest me the most. Being a graduate researcher in the field of educational technology and from my own experience of several years blogging in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning, I highly recommend the tools below and I personally view them as the most important platforms for growing professionally.
Educational Technology and Mobile Learning: 15 Geat Teaching and Learning iPad Apps It is really amazing how popular the 15 iPad Skills Every Teacher Should Have has become. I never thought that it would grab as much attention to the point that it has been featured in some School district websites both here in Canada and the States . I am really glad you like it and as I said before I am working on the Android version of that article and I will get it published here in Educational Technology and Mobile Learning as soon as it is ready. In this post, I am sharing with you a list of some great iPad apps to help you in your teaching and Learning.Check them out below and let us know what you think of them. Enjoy 1- Teacher Kit "TeacherKit is a personal organizer for the teacher. 2- Listo "Listo helps you keep grocery lists, todo lists or shopping lists that are there whenever and wherever you need them. 3- GoodNotes "GoodNotes lets you take handwritten notes, sketch diagrams, mark-up PDFs and organize them on a beautiful bookshelf. 4- Teed 5- SyncSpace 6- Writepad 7- PDF PROvider
Overview - Baseball, Race and Ethnicity: Rounding the Bases - Lesson Plan Back to Lesson Plans Lesson Overview Students use primary sources focused on baseball to explore the American experience regarding race and ethnicity. Objectives Students will: analyze historical images; create an original argument using primary sources; pose historical questions after analyzing and reflecting on primary sources; employ search strategies to obtain primary historical data from targeted collections of sources; place the developments of race and ethnicity in America in historical context. Standards Time Required Five classes Recommended Grade Level Topic Sports, Recreation & Leisure Immigration & Ethnic Heritage Era Progressive Era to New Era, 1900-1929 Rise of Industrial America, 1876-1900 Credits Jennifer Schwelik & Greg Deegan
20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network - Getting Smart by Miriam Clifford “20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network” by Miriam Clifford first appeared on the InfomED blog. Networking is a prime form of 21st century learning. The world is much smaller thanks to technology. Just this month, a tech news article showcased how Harvard scientists are considering that “sharing discoveries is more efficient and honorable than patenting them.” As educators, we aim to be connected to advance our craft. Learning networks are based on the theory of connectivism, or learning from diverse social webs. What are some ways to grow your PLN and improve the quality of your interactions? 10 Tips For Using PLN’s Keep the spirit of collaboration as your driving force. 10 Tools & Strategies for Establishing a Productive PLN Use Diigo, Evernote, Pocket, or Delicious to bookmark links. PLNs are a powerful change agent.
Using Animoto in the Classroom It’s unusual for me to write a blog post extolling the virtues of a single edtech tool – I usually prefer a rundown of several resource that can be used for any given subject, because there are so many brilliant tools out there to feature and usually so many advantages and disadvantages to using each one. But Animoto is a special case! It is incredibly easy to use, which is a huge plus for the classroom, but also presents a really wide and flexible range of possible uses, which isn’t always the case with the simpler end of edtech tools. If you’re not already familiar with Animoto, it’s a website that allows you to make your own videos by choosing a background template from a wide range of options, adding a piece of music, and then creating a completely unique compilation of photographs, video clips and text, which is then all magically pulled together into an incredibly professional finished product. The real beauty of Animoto is its sheer, joyful flexibility.
50 Educational Podcasts You Should Check Out How to Create a ThingLink Tutorial My Reflections on ThingLink and Interactive Presentations Major shifts in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) require students to have opportunities to practice and master skills in the areas of speaking and listening as well as the ability to compare, contrast, incorporate evidence, understand primary source documents, and create arguments. In terms of student engagement and creation in these areas, the possibilities are endless. When I was attending the PARCC ELC in Chicago recently, I attended a workshop on close reads using primary source documents. In a classroom, I would have the students create a Thinglink with required elements. Remember to remind students of copyright and creative commons licensing. Source: Paula Dillon 3.17.13 Related Resources and Articles Thinglink Tutorial Slide Show by JGoodburn from Burgettstown Area School via HelloSlide Make Interactive Images on Thinglink Education by Ruchard Byrne via Free Technology for Teachers
Instructional Technology Professional Development by Design Dianne Krause is a certified K-12 Instructional Technology Specialist, Adjunct Graduate Professor in Instructional Technology, former high school French teacher and administrator of one of the oldest and persistent online gaming worlds, Medievia.com, Inc. Her current role is an Instructional Technology Coach for a 21st Century Learning and 1:1 Initiative. During the five years that I’ve been an Instructional Technology Specialist, I’ve conducted and received a veritable cornucopia of professional development and training on how to best effectively integrate and infuse technology into the teaching and learning process. As no doubt you have also experienced, some of the workshops and sessions that I attended were very well done and I was usually an engaged learner, but upon returning to my district and schools, I found that I had very little time and energy to apply the majority of what I had learned. Chunk information.