SRHS Information Literacy

Short talk about presentations given at Startup Dynamo, a workshop held by Startup@Singapore NUS using the Learn Startup Methodology. My segment was on Present

Robin Good: Must-read article on ClutterMuseum.com by Leslie M-B, exploring in depth the opportunity to have students master their selected topics by "curating" them, rather than by reading and memorizing facts about them.

"Critical and creative thinking should be prioritized over remembering content"

"That students should learn to think for themselves may seem like a no-brainer to many readers, but if you look at the textbook packages put out by publishers, you’ll find that the texts and accompanying materials (for both teachers and students) assume students are expected to read and retain content—and then be tested on it.

Instead, between middle school (if not earlier) and college graduation, students should practice—if not master—how to question, critique, research, and construct an argument like an historian."

This is indeed the critical point. Moving education from an effort to memorize things on which then to be tested, to a collaborative exercise in creating new knowledge and value by pulling and editing together individual pieces of content, resources and tools that allow the explanation/illustration of a topic from a specific viewpoint/for a specific need.

And I can't avoid to rejoice and second her next proposition: "What if we shifted the standards’ primary emphasis from content, and not to just the development of traditional skills—basic knowledge recall, document interpretation, research, and essay-writing—but to the cultivation of skills that challenge students to make unconventional connections, skills that are essential for thriving in the 21st century?"

What are these skills, you may ask. Here is a good reference where to look them up: http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf (put together by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills)

Recommended. Good stuff. 9/10

Full article: www.cluttermuseum.com/make-students-curators/

(Image credit: Behance.net)

From the website

"Let's talk about LEARNING, not technology! What are some cultural shifts in our fast changing world, that have an impact on our own learning as educators?"

Excellent slide deck from Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano. 

Are smartphones really that big a deal in education? Let’s examine the facts:

- Ownership of smartphones continues to rise at a brisk pace

- Smartphone owners download between 50 and 80 apps each

- Students studying using smartphones are three times more likely to track their progress

- Flashcards and self-quizzes are popular: more than 70% of students use this type of app

- Most students use the built-in apps a lot. The calculator, notepad, and camera all play critical roles.

One of the challenges of rolling out Google Docs for all students at our school is in managing all those docs students are turning in. Teachers are experiencing the frustration of cluttered In Boxes taken over by individual messages from students sharing their assignments. Fortunately, I have found an awesome idea from John Miller @162 that utilizes a Google Form as an Assignment Tracker. The idea is innovative, efficient and simple. Here's how John's invention works:

"How To Do Research" game is presented by Kentucky Virtual Library. It's designed for kids to learn how to do research independently with kids-friendly user experience. Did you know that you can ac...