Miscellaneous Articles

Over the years, many of us have personally experienced the growth of technology in today’s classrooms.

Instead of taking notes, students are now occupied by surfing the Internet, scrolling through Facebook, and messaging their friends on their smart phones, tablets, and laptops. Instead of focusing on the instruction, teachers are constantly required to interrupt class in order to remind those students again and again, that class time is for learning, not texting. However, as today’s students are using more technological devices, it is imperative that teachers have access to the resources to keep pace with the growing tech culture.

The use of smart phones, tablets, and other tech items in the classroom do not necessarily have to have a negative impact on student achievement. On the contrary, the increasing accessibility and growth of technology presents teachers with the unique opportunity to take advantage of those once distracting gadgets, and use them to facilitate academic achievement in new and innovative ways. In this capacity, teachers do not need to be constantly fighting for student attention, but can freely accept it, by introducing a new educational environment that will automatically encourage student participation.

Below are some resources that teachers may find useful when attempting to implement technology into their classrooms, separated by 5 common areas that are increasingly important for teachers, and for an effective learning environment—Organization, Project Based Learning, Class Management, Presentations, and Assessment.

Via John Evans

Via Ana Cristina Pratas

It gives you a list of words you are likely to look up in the dictionary as far as the given text is concerned, guesses a good dictionary definition for the words along with example sentences. And finally, it also makes a quiz for the words using both the definitions and example sentences. (Of course we give you the answer key too.)

Via Nik Peachey

Via Ana Cristina Pratas

A comprehensive guide (10 chapters) for teachers to learn the best EdTech tools, apps, blogs, tips, etc. handpicked from the web. Happy teaching!

Via Dr. Susan Bainbridge

Since the election results were announced, I haven’t mentioned them in any public forum. I was too overwhelmed, and I didn’t want to muddy the waters here; I wanted to stay focused on teaching.

But everywhere I look, the waters are plenty muddy. Over the past five days, the pain I’m hearing in the voices of friends, family members, and total strangers online, the acts of hate and violence I’m seeing on the news, they’re not letting up. And not using this platform to share my thoughts would be cowardly. It would be lazy. It would also be a wasted opportunity: Most of my readers are educators, people who will shape the next generation. So if I can influence those teachers in any way, I have a responsibility to give it my best shot.

I’d like to propose a few ideas for things educators can do to move us forward in a way that’s healing and productive.

Let me be clear: I’m not talking about moving ON, dismissing what has happened, or “getting over it.” I have seen too much heartbreak, confusion and fear this week—on both sides—to suggest we move on. I’m talking about forward motion, the work we have ahead of us.

Via Jim Lerman

Digital intelligence or “DQ” is the set of social, emotional and cognitive abilities that enable individuals to face the challenges and adapt to the demands of digital life. These abilities can broadly be broken down into eight interconnected areas.

Via Nik Peachey

Via Anna

They are cool, useful and must-have! Do not leave home without these top tech travel gadgets.

Via THE OFFICIAL ANDREASCY

iRubric: The only free rubric builder and assessment tool. Working with rubrics has never been easier. Build, Assess, Share, and Collaborate using our intuitive tools.

Via Nik Peachey

By Mark Anderson

Via Tom D'Amico (@TDOttawa)

Via Ana Cristina Pratas

This free Bloom’s Taxonomy Periodic Table of activities is meant to bring learning excitement to any classroom. Share it with anyone that you feel may benefit from having it around for quick learning and assessment ideas.

Via Nik Peachey

Sense-making, social intelligence, novel & adaptive thinking, cross-cultural competency, computational thinking, new-media literacy, transdisciplarity, design mindset, cognitive load management, virtual collaboration. These are the 10 skills needed for the future workforce. For a full report, see the work done by Apollo Research Institute (formerly the University of Phoenix Research Institute) looking at the Skills Needed by 2020. A summery of the report and detailed findings about each of the skills are also available.

Via Marcia Conner

We'd like to share this critical thinking skills cheatsheet for you to use with your students. Get them asking questions on any topic!

Via Tom D'Amico (@TDOttawa)

Via Ana Cristina Pratas

Technology can be a powerful tool to assist students with special needs or any sort of learning challenge. In particular the Chrome we

Via Tom D'Amico (@TDOttawa)

Visualise the grammar of a sentence.

Via Nik Peachey

Teach students coding that goes way beyond drag and drop.

Via Tom D'Amico (@TDOttawa)

Unschooling, greater independence for the student and teacher, and getting in touch with our social and emotional selves are just some of the topics that have inspired educators and life-long learners.
Via Deborah Arnold