How we will learn
MindShift explores the future of learning in all its dimensions. We examine how learning is being impacted by technology, discoveries about how the brain works, poverty and inequities, social and emotional practices, assessments, digital games, design thinking and music, among many other topics. We look at how learning is evolving in the classroom and beyond.We also revisit old ideas that have come full circle in the era of the over scheduled child, such as unschooling, tinkering, playing in the woods, mindfulness, inquiry-based learning and student motivation. We report on shifts in how educators practice their craft as they apply innovative ideas to help students learn, while meeting the rigorous demands of their standards and curriculum. MindShift has a unique audience of educators, tinkerers, policy makers and life-long learners who engage in meaningful dialogue with one another on our sites.
Top 10 Education Tech Blogs
This post was written by Romane Robinson, who is currently pursuing an MA in Cognitive Studies in Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. A passionate student and proponent of human development, Romane has a BS in Research and Experimental Psychology and interned at Brainscape as a CEO Relations Manager in 2014. Education is evolving fast.
Top 10 Educational Technology Resources for the Classroom
by Holly Poulos Engage students in your classroom with our Top 10 favorite interactive educational technology resources. These websites will help you create new and captivating lesson plans for your curriculum. LessonCast is a website where experienced teachers submit—via PowerPoint, document, pictures, or web cam—a "lesson idea or management strategy in 2 minutes 30 seconds or less." Each submission is reviewed and vetted by other accomplished teachers, and then shared online. New teachers, or those just looking for new ideas, can then search for the perfect idea for their classroom.
Technology Front and Center
Innovative Instruction | Feature Technology Front and Center A new high school in Texas will combine technology with project-based learning. By Bridget McCrea03/23/11 Armed with a $3 million Texas Title I Priority Schools grant, Belton Independent School District in Texas will open the doors to an innovative high school concept this fall. Currently in the development phase, Belton New Tech High School at Waskow will combine technology and project-based learning to create a learning environment that Principal Stan Whittle hopes will entice students to "take ownership of their educations and their futures."
50 resources for iPad use in the classroom
Amazon Web Services has just made a serious play for the video game market. The cloud computing giant on Tuesday launched Lumberyard, a free game engine geared toward professional developers building cloud-connected, cross-platform games. With Lumberyard, AWS is courting game developers, integrating its Twitch video service and ultimately eyeing virtual reality. Support for mobile devices and VR headsets is in the works and should be available within a couple of months, Amazon said.
Langwitches
I have been a fan of Visible Thinking Routines which were developed by Project Zero from Havard, for a while now. I have used these routines with students, as blogging routines and in professional development workshops. The Visible Thinking Routines website explains that:
25 Of The Best Pinterest Boards In Education
Blogs and Twitter aren’t the only social tools out there that can help you keep up with the latest and greatest developments in educational technology. Pinterest is rapidly becoming a favorite tool of educators all over the nation, and many have amassed some pretty great collections of edtech-related pins that teachers and students alike can use to explore new ways to learn, share, teach, and grow. While it would be nearly impossible to highlight every edtech pinboard out there, we’ve shared some of the boards we think stand out among the crowd here. Many are maintained by major educational websites, key figures in edtech, and well-known bloggers, but others were created by teachers just like you who simply want to share resources and tips with others in education.
EdTech Teacher Webinars
Fall 2015 – Back to School Series In August and September, we hosted a new “Back to School with EdTechTeacher” series. Each week, we will feature a different tool or concept that we love to use in our classrooms. These posts will provide a compilation of blog posts, tutorials, and live conversation with our instructors as well as guest experts.
Webinars - International Baccalaureate® (cost)
A webinar is an interactive online seminar and visual presentation. IB webinars are informative, interactive online sessions in which participants can deepen their understanding of a specific IB programme, throughout the year. Once you log into the event, you can ask questions of the presenter in real time and listen to other participants' comments and questions. You can join a webinar from your home, school or even your mobile phone.
Top tips for using social media to improve teaching and boost CPD
With funding for traditional continued professional development (CPD) events in short supply, social media is being used more and more to support informal, peer-to-peer learning among teachers. But it’s not all plain sailing. Some professionals, such as our recent Secret Teacher, find social media overwhelming and unhelpful. We recently ran a live chat for teachers and heads to share ideas on how to get started with social media and how those online can make the most of it. Here’s a roundup of their suggestions: Starting out
Digital Promise Puts Education Research All In One Place
As technology becomes an accepted tool in many classrooms, teachers and administrators are looking for the best ed-tech tools to advance their goals around student learning. Unfortunately, there are so many tools on the market claiming to be the best option, it can be hard to sort through the noise and make an informed decision. Digital Promise, the congressionally authorized nonprofit charged with “accelerating innovation in education to improve opportunities to learn,” has developed a tool to help educators and ed-tech developers sort through relevant research. “There is more and more pressure for people to use research in their work,” said Sarita Bhargava, chief communications officer for Digital Promise. “We hope this tool will provide the first step.”
