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Recently I stumbled across an infographic displaying some research that helps answer the question I hear almost every day... Do we really NEED to use all this techno-*#&$ in the classroom? My standard answer has always included references to the National Common Core State Standards (specifically to Writing Anchor Standards # 6 - which refers specifically to Internet Use & Keyboarding, and #8, which refers to the use of digital resources in the Research Process), as well as to the impending assessments associated with them. (Illinois is part of the PARCC Assessment consortium, which suggests schools set a goal of achieving a 2:1 student-to-computer ratio, with 1:1 being optimal, according to the webinars available here.) Today I learned (through Skyward's Twitter feed) about a research study that backs up the need for technology-enabled classrooms. The study has been published in Tech & Learning's online magazine, and is summarized in an excellent infographic.
One step toward satisfying the Illinois law for teaching responsible use of the Internet is teaching students how to use copyrighted materials appropriately. Please take a moment to read Richard Byrne's post, 5 Good Lesson Plans for Teaching Copyright, on his blog, Free Tech For Teachers. Follow the links in his post to find the lessons. For a listing of suggested lessons for teachers in our District, please visit the District #205 Internet Safety Web Site, where I've collected lesson activities for all grade levels and sorted them by the seven areas required by the law. For more information about the Illinois Internet Safety Act, please visit the Illinois State Board of Education's Internet Safety Web Page. Image from Microsoft Office Clip Art Food for thought: Found at The 21st Century Principal blog: "Interesting Inforgraphic: The Use of Social Media in School." Here's a quick look at Windows 8, by Dr. R. Keith Sawyer on the Huffington Post.
I Love Windows 8 (and no, my account has not been hacked) Khan Academy has been around for years, and now it works great with Windows 8. Khan Academy offers video explanations of topics in many curriculum areas, from Art to Thermodynamics, and everywhere in between. Students can create an account and earn points toward virtual badges & other online achievements, whether at home or at school. Teachers can create classes & add students to these classes to track their progress. Teachers can prescribe these videos for curriculum support and differentiation, especially for those who might be looking for an individualized challenge to pursue after showing mastery of course content. Videos can be viewed online or can be downloaded and watched when Internet access is unavailable (often at students' homes) or when Internet resources are limited (as sometimes happens in classrooms). This would offer a great way to develop your own customized course content if your textbook series is not available online or if you want to customize a class or course to fit the needs of your students. The videos below offer a couple nice overviews of how this all might look in your classroom. Khan Academy & Windows 8 Salman Khan on the Khan Academy Microsoft Partners In Learning Network contains a wealth of resources for both teachers and students as they integrate technology tools more deeply into their curricula. Partners In Learning Network (PIL) is many things to many people. The PIL Network provides a global support groups for teachers at every level of education and at every imaginable stage along the technology integration spectrum. It offers professional learning opportunities, free software downloads, and excellent lesson plans that can be used in any classroom. And the best part is: It's all FREE. The Partners In Learning Network also provides a Forum where educators can post questions or search for lesson ideas. Teachers can even connect through this virtual community to arrange virtual field trips for their classes. Another link you'll find here takes you to The Learning Suite, which is a group of programs educators may find very useful. These include:
...and many others, including lots of resource guides and how-to videos. Check out the video below for a quick overview. |
Tech Resources for D205Ongoing listing of resources for technology and education apps for Galesburg CUSD #205 teachers. Archives
March 2016
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