Alive and Learning

Pop psychology tells us we can't go wrong with positive thinking. But new studies show that taking account of our obstacles is essential to success.

 

Gust MEES: Bring negative things into postive ones...

 

Read more:

http://99u.com/articles/7232/The-Power-of-Negative-Thinking

 

Via Gust MEES

I. Lesson Planning with ProCon.org

Lesson Plan Ideas Using ProCon.org

15 National Teaching Standards Used by Incorporating ProCon.org Content into Lesson Plans

 

Read more:

http://www.procon.org/education.php

 

Via Gust MEES

iPad apps, professional development iOS apps Med kharbach

 

With the advance of mobile technology into our life, the notion of professional development has been radically reshaped.To grow professionally is no longer limited to a certain geographic setting with a predefined set of resources, we can now learn wherever we are and on the go. No more boundaries and this is certainly one of the biggest advantages in embracing this kind of technology.

 

To expand this professional development notion to your iPad , I have compiled a list of some of the best free apps that you as a teacher and educator, can install on your iOS device. The list is not exhaustive and there might be other important apps not mentioned here but the ones below are a great stepping stone into the world of self learning. Check them out.

Via Gust MEES

By Nicholas Provenzano on July 17th, 2012

This question has been bouncing around my brain since I left the International Society for Technology in Education conference.

 

 

 

Read more, very interesting...:

http://smartblogs.com/education/2012/07/17/what-ed-tech-leader/

 

Via Gust MEES

Great leaders think strategically. They can understand and appreciate the current state as well as see possibilities.

 

- Critical thinking is the mental process of objectively analyzing a situation by gathering information from all possible sources, and then evaluating both the tangible and intangible aspects, as well as the implications of any course of action.

 
- Implementation thinking is the ability to organize ideas and plans in a way that they will be effectively carried out.

- Conceptual thinking consists of the ability to find connections or patterns between abstract ideas and then piece them together to form a complete picture.

- Innovative thinking involves generating new ideas or new ways of approaching things to create possibilities and opportunities. 

- Intuitive thinking is the ability to take what you may sense or perceive to be true and, without knowledge or evidence, appropriately factor it in to the final decision.

 

Read more, a MUST:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/03/27/how-to-develop-5-critical-thinking-types/

 

Via Jess Chalmers, Gust MEES

Some strategies are particularly suited to younger students, where often the names that teachers have for these strategies provide a 'shorthand' way of communicating to students that they wish them to provide peer feedback.

Via Nik Peachey, Gust MEES

In order to be a successful teacher using technology for your 21st century learning encounters, you need to be able to model 21st century learning and innovation skills in your encounters with technology.

 

 

===> These skills are also known as the 4 C’s: <===

 

- Critical thinking and problem solving

- Communication

- Collaboration

- Creativity and innovation

Key basic functions to know: creation capabilities (document, spreadsheet, presentation, WYSIWYG website), collaborative capabilities (document sharing, interactive form building, wiki—collaborative website building). One free (so far) suite to explore for these functions, all under one banner, is GOOGLE. Not just the mainstream search engine, but Google Scholar, Google Alerts, and the entire suite of Google products helps you become more effective and efficient in your search missions, and more. They are constantly adding functions to their suite of tools, so keep up to date by exploring the “More Google Products” page on their site: www.google.com/intl/en/options/. They organize their expanded tool set under the following categories:

 

- Search
- Explore and Innovate
- Communicate, Show and Share
- Go Mobile

Make your computer work better (beta versions of pack software to enhance performance)

Web 2.0 tools have something for everyone and are constantly changing. If you can imagine it, it is most likely out there in one form or another. The trick with web 2.0 tools is, though, that they rarely do everything you are looking for, so sometimes DIY mash-ups are necessary. Understanding the functionality of what you’re looking for helps you to choose the right tools to help you attain it, rather than relying too heavily on a specific set of tools. Focus instead on a class of tools based on functionality.

 

Read more, very interesting...:

http://teachteachtech.coe.uga.edu/index.php/2011/05/02/5-things-every-teacher-should-know/

 

Via Gust MEES, Aki Puustinen

George Couros (@gcouros on Twitter) is the Division Principal of Innovative Teaching and Learning for Parkland School Division, a large district near Edmonton, Alberta.

 

As many school administrators are enjoying their summer break, we all tend to think of ways that we can make our school better in the upcoming year. Often, I point school principals and district leaders to a powerful post by Will Richardson that helps us point the finger right at ourselves when we are looking to push our school ahead. Richardson states:

 

"Meaningful change ain't gonna happen for our kids if we're not willing to invest in it for ourselves first. At the heart, it's not about schools . . . it's about us."

 

Read more:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/21st-century-PLNs-school-leaders-george-couros

 

Via Gust MEES, juandoming