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Learning to Code: New Possibilities Through Collaboration at School | EdSurge News Discussion piece. “When you drill down to the(US) school level, only one in four schools in the United States teach computer science. For some school districts the resources are simply stretched too thin. And while there are websites that offer coding tutorials, many of which are free, some teachers may also be unaware that so many resources exist for their students. In other districts, the resources may be available but there is still a desire to find new opportunities for students to interact with technology professionals. One way to overcome these hurdles is for school districts to collaborate with outside organizations and companies, many of whom are thrilled to provide volunteers and support. This can be accomplished by looking to organizations and companies in your local community and/or best in industry, and reaching out to them to see if they would be interested in working with your school. Additionally, seek out and learn from colleagues in other school districts who have fostered these relationships, with a focus on best practices and collaborations that were particularly successful.”
Are Your Students Learning The Digital and Social Literacy Skills Needed to Succeed? | @LearningDotCom · TeacherCast Educational Broadcasting NetworkbyJeffrey Bradbury “Jeff Bradbury sits down with Risa Snethen from Learning.com to talk about the many resources offered to provide students the digital and core literacy skills needed to get them ahead in the classroom.”
Tech Tips for Teachers: 4 Ways to Use Google Forms | EdTech Magazine “The latest version of Google Forms, for instance, can not only simplify administrative tasks but also give teachers new outlets for connecting with parents and students. Jennifer Carey, the director of educational technology at the Ransom Everglades School in Miami, Fla., offers a glimpse of recently added features in a post on Daily Genius. She writes that Google Form users can now: View responses as they are submitted. Insert videos and images into survey questions. Create multiple choice grids that prevent respondents from selecting the same column twice. Publish Forms with pre-filled responses. Insert useful add-ons, such as formLimiter and Choice Eliminator 2. As educators begin to master these new capabilities, they can also explore a few of the tried-and-true ways teachers already use Google Forms in the classroom:”
15+ Ways of Teaching Every Student to Code (Even Without a Computer) | Edutopia “The resources discussed in this post will assist in teaching programming to every student and every age.”
How can school libraries use a makerspace to support learning? A set of presentation slides that explain an investigation of what a makerspace is and identify criteria for an effective makerspace. It examines how an effective model of a makerspace in a school library can support and develop digital literacy skills in the context of a connected learning framework.
When Tech Meets Project Based Learning | EdSurge News Paul Curtis, Director of Curriculum for the New Tech Network, is confident that project-based learning can happen without much technology. But use it right, he adds, and technology can change the “tone” of the classroom in powerful ways. “It asks teachers to give up ‘the script’ for the classroom,” he says. Curtis sees technology shaping project-based learning in multiple ways. First technology can fuel students’ curiosity and put them in charge of learning and exploration. Next: technology can provide teachers a construct or scaffolding for doing project-based work. A well-built learning management system, Curtis says, is an essential tool for helping teachers structure classroom time and manage work.”
What Are Your Ideas For Incorporating the “Maker Movement” In Teaching English Language Learners? | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… “The best way to activate your classroom is for your students to make something. This might an amazing high-tech invention or it might take the form of costumes for a historical reenactment, homemade math manipulatives, a new curtain for the local auditorium, toys, a pet habitat, a messy science experiment, or a zillion other things. Best of all, you don’t need expensive hardware, or to start by mastering a programming language. You can begin with found materials: buttons, bottle caps, string, clay, construction paper, broken toys, popsicle sticks, or tape (hint: Google “tapigami” or “duck tape projects”). What are you having your students “make” to help them learn English?”
How to create digital homework that students love | “Let’s redesign homework. When’s the last time your students got excited to do homework? Or said things like, “Wow…just WOW. It is amazing how much is out there that we just don’t know about”? What if every homework assignment could expand a student’s worldview while engaging a kid’s natural curiosity? One middle school teacher took on this challenge — so you don’t have to. For her TED-Ed Innovation Project, US History teacher Jennifer Hesseltine created a digital homework space that students love. Here are her step-by-step instructions on how you can do it too:”
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