Snapshot of a Deeper Learning Classroom: Aligning TED Talks to the Four Cs Edutopia is pleased to premiere the first blog in a new series designed to showcase compelling examples of how students are developing 21st century skills through a deeper-level of learning. Through this blog series, we hope to increase awareness and encourage replication of successful models. Chris Anderson, TED curator. (Photo credit: Pierre Omidyar via Wikimedia Commons) As many of my readers know, this year I have been dedicated to using the 21st Century four Cs. As I design a lesson or assessment, I ask myself if what I've designed, or what the students must master, correlates to the important skills of: CollaborationCommunicationCritical ThinkingCreativity My lessons and tests must incorporate one or more of of the four Cs to, in my opinion, be worthy of spending precious instructional time in the classroom. On another note, the other short rubric I keep in my head is related to differentiating my lessons. ProcessEnvironmentContentProduct An example of this is my TED Talks unit.
Writing Effective Lesson Plans Writing lesson plans can be a daunting task for even the most prepared teacher. Let’s face it, lesson plan writing for practicum experiences or teacher training programs is vastly different from writing lessons for the “real world.” Just as an architect wouldn’t begin a new building project without the blueprints, a teacher needs a solid lesson plan in order to be successful in the classroom. What makes a solid and effective lesson plan? There are certain elements that must be included in every lesson plan; however, these elements alone do not make a lesson plan effective. A quality lesson plan takes thought and preparation. Lesson Plan Writing: The Process In English Language Arts, a common term used to describe the process of writing a good story or essay is the “sandwich method.” A general lesson plan structure should be as follows: Introduction Learning objectives- Clearly defined- Measurable- Use tools like Bloom’s TaxonomyCurriculum objectivesStarter activity to assess prior knowledge
The 33 Digital Skills Every 21st Century Teacher should Have By EdTech Team Updated on march 2, 2015 : The original list that was created in 2011 comprised 33 skills , after reviewing it we decided to do some merging and finally ended up with the 20 skills below. The 21st century teacher should be able to : 1- Create and edit digital audio Here are some tools for teachers to develop this skill :Free Audio Tools for Teachers 2- Use Social bookmarking to share resources with and between learners Here are some tools for teachers to develop this skill : A List of Best Bookmarking Websites for Teachers 3- Use blogs and wikis to create online platforms for students Here are some tools for teachers to develop this skill : Great Tools to Create Protected Blogs and Webpages for your Class 4- Exploit digital images for classroom use Here are some tools for teachers to develop this skill :Web Tools to Edit Pictures without Installing any softwareTools to Convert Photos into Cartoons
Strategies for Effective Lesson Planning Stiliana Milkova Center for Research on Learning and Teaching A lesson plan is the instructor’s road map of what students need to learn and how it will be done effectively during the class time. Before you plan your lesson, you will first need to identify the learning objectives for the class meeting. Objectives for student learningTeaching/learning activitiesStrategies to check student understanding Specifying concrete objectives for student learning will help you determine the kinds of teaching and learning activities you will use in class, while those activities will define how you will check whether the learning objectives have been accomplished (see Fig. 1). Steps for Preparing a Lesson Plan Below are six steps to guide you when you create your first lesson plans. (1) Outline learning objectives The first step is to determine what you want students to learn and be able to do at the end of class. What is the topic of the lesson? (2) Develop the introduction (6) Create a realistic timeline
Share "Feedforward," Not Feedback | Edutopia During my pre-service training, a favorite professor offered a simple creed: Teachers should put the car in drive, not reverse. At the time, he was referring to the forward thrust of educational progress, but his adage could just as easily capture the art of delivering effective feedback. Teachers spend much of their time circling a feedback loop, sharing and receiving information across multiple channels -- students, parents, supervisors, and central offices. There are report cards, progress notes, parent-teacher conferences and endless meetings. Teachers document goals, set performance standards, grade assessments, and correct misbehavior. The Power of Self-Evaluation Granted, there are mechanisms in place to evaluate teacher performance, but many of these value-added measures feel more like punch lists than professional reviews. Advocates of the feedforward approach -- including global software maker VMware Inc. -- point to its natural advantages. Instructional Coaching