Eclectic Technology

Research continues to learn more about how we learn, but it is not always easy to find. This post, by informEd, provides 10 suggestions based on current research, and each is discussed in more detail in the post. Below are three of the findings.

* To learn quickly, don't concentrate so hard. Over thinking can make it harder to learn.

* It matters what your learning environment looks like. Did you know that physical characteristics, "such as air quality, colour, and light" can together impact the learning process of primary students by as much as 16% in a single year."

* Understanding a student's learning process occupies the same space in the brain as practicing empathy. I suspect we have all experienced frustration when working with students, but to provide feedback that will help them empathy also plays a role.

This post provides seven additional insights that may make a difference in your classroom. Click through to learn more about research on how we learn.

Jackie Gerstein has written quite a number of posts that look at The Other 21st Century Skills and Attributes. This post provides an infographic that includes two or three questions that you should ask yourself to see if you are 'facilitating these skills and attributes in the learning environment.

Gerstein also includes links to previous posts where she discusses the specific skills and attributes in more detail.

For many of us this school year has come to an end or will shortly. Perhaps it is time to reflect on our year and consider habits that might need to be changed. This post looks at 11 habits. A few are listed below.

* Not learning from colleagues. This seems simple, but given how busy our day is it is tough to find time to observe another teacher, or have someone tape you and ask others to provide you with feedback.

Jackie Gerstein continues to share her thoughts on the other 21st century skills students need discussing empathy and global stewardship. After sharing her reason for combining empathy and global stewardship Gerstein somes of the characteristics or dispositions related to empathy (see image above).

You will also find a video from National Geographic, Perspectives = Empathy; a video from RSA, The Six Habits of Highly Empathic People; a list developed by the state of Washington ( specifically "a think tank for education for sustainable communities") that provides " characteristics that define folks who are equipped for sustainable futures"; a look at a connection beweeen empathy and design thinking, a look at a connection between empathy and grit as 21st century skills, and many resources for educators.

Gerstein has provided a post that will make you think about empathy and global stewardship as well as resources that may help you work with these concepts in your classroom this year.

Technology has many benefits, but it can also cause harm. Edudemic shares updated information on some of the harmful effects technology may bring, as well as five ways you may address the harmful impacts. Two of the harmful effects are below.

1. Technology changes the way children think. Research shows that "the use of technology can alter the actual wiring of the brain." There may be benefits to this, but there are some known issues that are discussed in the post.

2. Technology changes the way children feel. A study of two groups of 6th graders showed that those who "no access to technology for five days" were more empathetic than those who were using it. Studies also show that children who use technology  more than 4 hours a day may experiences difficulties in "social skills and emotional reactions."

In addition to two additional negative impacts the five suggestions include:

* Teach responsible usage.

* Use classroom technology intentionally.

These are issues that are impacted by how students use technology outside of school. You may want to include some of this information in a parent newsletter.

Did you know that humans are "hard-wired for empathy," that mirror neurons "allow us to learn complex social behaviors," that having "four or more adverse childhood experiences" can raise the odds of having learning or behavior problems in school by as much as 32 times?

This post from InformEd provides at recent research on empathy and then focuses on two sections:

* Does empathy really improve academic performance?

* How to cultivate empathy for learning?

The second section has four strategies that you can implement in your classroom:

* Practice role playing

* Focus on non-cognitive skills

* Promote emotional literacy

* Create a sense of community

This is a lengthy post but it provides additional resources as you read through it, and notes that some schools in the US are using an empathy curriculum as early as first grade.

Have you considered how empathy may be an important component of your classroom? Should it be a "concern of educators"? Should it be "intentionally used as a primary instructional strategy?"

This post looks at these questions and provides a number of definitions for empathy as well as benefits of empathy in teaching and learning. There is also an excellent short animated video from RSA Shorts - The Power of Empathy.