Part 1 of Gospel for Teens -- CBS 60 Minutes

Part I

Part II

 

Also see:

as well as:

 

MaMa Foundation for Teens

 

 

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From DSC:
Though I saw this posted at a variety of blogs/social learning sites,
it’s definitely worth relaying here for those who might have missed it.


 

Listening-Comprehension-Podcasting — from the Langwitches blog by Silvia Tolisano

 

 

 

 

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If you want to truly engage students, give up the reins — from Ewan McIntosh

During the final half of 2010, I asked more than 1,500 teachers around the globe two questions: what are your happiest memories from learning at school, and what are your least happy experiences?

When I do the “reveal” of what I think their answers will be, every workshop has a “but how did he know?” reaction. It’s more akin to an audience’s response to illusionist Derren Brown than to the beginning of a day of professional development.

For teachers’ answers are always the same. At the top is “making stuff”, then school trips, “feeling I’m making a contribution” and “following my own ideas”. Their least happy experiences are “a frustration at not understanding things”, “not having any help on hand” and “being bored”, mostly by “dull presentations”. “Not seeing why we had to do certain tasks” appeared in every continent.
Most of these educators agreed that the positive experiences they loved about school were too few, and were outnumbered by the “important but dull” parts of today’s schooling: delivering content, preparing for and doing exams.

But while a third of teachers generally remember “making stuff” as their most memorable and happy experience at school, we see few curricula where “making stuff” and letting students “follow their own ideas” makes up at least a third of the planned activity.

More here…

From DSC:
In my recent class at Capella University, one of the last discussion board questions asked:

  • Do you think learning theory should be more explicit in official discussions of policy?

What a great question! My answer was yes, as it makes sense to me to guide educational reform by what is best for the students…for learning. Hopefully, we can make informed decisions. Though I’ve learned that there is no silver bullet when it comes to learning theories, each learning theory seems to be a piece of the puzzle for how we learn. Graphically speaking:


If viewing the above graphic on the Learning Ecosystems blog (vs. in an RSS feed/reader):
You may need to right-click on the above image and save it, then open it.

Such theories should have a place when policies are drafted, when changes are made. But I don’t often hear reference to the work of Thorndike, Bandura, Vygotsky, Gagne, Kolb, etc. when legislative bodies/school boards/or other forms of educational leadership are exploring future changes, directions, strategies. What is it that these people were trying to relay to us? What value can we gleam from them when we form our visions of the future? How does their work inform our selection of pedagogies, tools, organizational changes?



Using screen capture software to improve student learning — from Faculty Focus by Rob Kelly

By using podcasts, vodcasts, and screen capture software to provide supplemental and remedial materials, instructors can focus on higher-order learning activities during class, says Dave Yearwood, associate professor and chair of the Technology Department at the University of North Dakota. In an email interview with The Teaching Professor, Dr. Yearwood shared some ideas for getting started.

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If viewing these graphics via the Learning Ecosystems website/blog:
You may need to right-click and download the graphics to see them in their entirety.

 

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If viewing these graphics via the Learning Ecosystems website/blog:
You may need to right-click and download the graphics to see them in their entirety.

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If viewing these graphics via the Learning Ecosystems website/blog:
You may need to right-click and download the graphics to see them in their entirety.

Salman Khan: Let’s use video to reinvent education — March 2011

Salman Khan talks about how and why he created the remarkable Khan Academy, a carefully structured series of educational videos offering complete curricula in math and, now, other subjects. He shows the power of interactive exercises, and calls for teachers to consider flipping the traditional classroom script — give students video lectures to watch at home, and do “homework” in the classroom with the teacher available to help.

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Sal Kahn at TED -- March 2011

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From DSC:
Before rushing to a quick take/judgment on this, hear him out. Turning over more control to the students during the relaying of the information makes sense to me. They can pause, rewind, fast forward, etc.  They can re-listen to the lecture again and again, without affecting the flow of a typical face-to-face classroom. Then they come into class and can get help on their homework, instantly and when they need the assistance.

Also see:



 

Google Apps for e-Portfolios

From NCCE Presentation — March 11, 2011

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Helen Barrett - Google Apps For e-Portfolios - Workshop for NCCE - 3-2011

From NCCE workshop 2011

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Is the future of e-portfolios in your pocket? A presentation by Dr. Helen Barrett.

From AAEEBL SLC February 11, 2011

The facts on higher order thinking — from Faculty Focus by Maryellen Weimer, PhD

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I just read a study that pretty much blew my socks off. An article highlighting the details will appear in the March issue of The Teaching Professor. I’ll give you the nutshell version here. The researchers were interested in finding out if there was empirical evidence to support the frequent criticism that introductory courses are fact filled with little content that challenges higher order thinking. Beyond anecdotal evidence, this research team didn’t find much empirical documentation so, being biologists, they decided to look at introductory-level biology courses.

Lessons that inspire a love for the arts — from Edutopia.org

Illio of a can of Happy Idea Condensed Creative Soup

 

The Importance of Creativity in the Classroom
Blogger Jim Moulton on why an effective arts education requires that students be given freedom within a structure.

Staging Plays for Active Learning
Playwriting teaches kids how to construct a plot, write dialogue, tell a story through action, and much more.

How to Set Up a Literature Circle
Get tips for laying the groundwork, setting up protocols for discussions, and implementing strategies for motiving students to read.

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Rich Internet Applications for Language Learners -- CLEAR Spring 2011 Newsletter
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In 2006, CLEAR launched its “Rich Internet Applications for Language Learning” initiative. Web-based tools were designed to offer functionality that is beneficial to language learning, while exploring how technology can enhance language teaching. This article discusses the design principles behind the RIA initiative, explains how the tools are intended to be used, and shares some examples of classroom use.

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From DSC:
The article mentions tools such as Wimba (now a part of Bb Collaborate), VoiceThread, and others.

 

The Teaching Professor Conference -- May 20-22, 2011

.Some of the sessions being offered include:

  • Innovative Assessment Techniques
  • Teaching the Nontraditional Adult Learner
  • Designing Educational Experiences that Promote Deep Learning
  • Developing an Academic Honesty Program that Works
  • Modeling Writing for Developmental Learners
  • Computers in the Classroom: Evidence of Student Engagement (Not Distraction)
  • Fostering Student Engagement in Online Learning Environments
  • Integrating Emerging Technology in the Classroom and Beyond
  • Setting Up Your Hybrid Course for Success
  • Engaging Millennial Students in the Basic Course

[2008/09] Study: Hands-on projects may be best way to teach engineering and technology concepts — from Purdue University as reported by Kim Medaris

From DSC:
This study focused on 126 eighth graders from Indiana; it presents one perspective on teaching STEM-related topics.

ABSTRACT:
Exploring the Effectiveness of an Interdisciplinary Water Resources Engineering Module in an Eighth Grade Science Class

Jody L. Riskowski, Carrie Davis Todd, Bryan Wee,
Melissa Dark, Jon Harbor

Engineering education has historically been given little attention in U.S. K-12 classrooms even though engineering incorporates scientific and mathematical concepts into meaningful, everyday applications. Including engineering and design projects in K-12 science and mathematics classes may improve student interest and comprehension, while also reaching a broader range of students than traditional lecture-based classes.  For this study, the authors implemented an engineering design project focusing on water resources in 8th grade science classes. Students were exposed to either an engineering project (treatment) or a more traditional format (control) and their knowledge of water resource issues was evaluated using a pre-post assessment tool. Overall, students in the treatment classes showed statistically significant improvement in two areas – they displayed higher levels of thinking on open-ended questions and greater content knowledge. This research indicates the effectiveness of engineering in enhancing student learning and supports its inclusion in the middle school science curriculum.

Also, potentially relevant here is:

 

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