Classroom At-Large

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111417.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29

Highlight:

Search engine use is not just part of our daily routines; it is also becoming part of our learning process, according to Penn State researchers.

There’s not much in the posting; it left me wanting more. The mention of how people are using search engines as guides for higher-order thinking and different learning styles use it in different ways made it leap out at me.

Updated to reflect computer technical skills.
Excerpt:
“One of the key revisions in the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy whas the change to Verbs for
the actions describing each taxonomic level.”
Intrigued? Read the pdf here.

Most of these you’ve likely heard before, but it’s a good read all the same. I especially like that the article introduces an idea, then explains how to implement it.

I’m going to try out #3 (teach kids how to collaborate before expecting success), as it relates to my PLC.

http://www.edutopia.org/classroom-student-participation-tips

It’s not about the tools, it’s about the mindset.

http://www.converstations.com/2009/09/bored-with-21st-century-skills-get-over-it.html

Jump to TED video here.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Compelling arguments? Did he say anything that never occurred to you? Anything you find a little fishy?

It’s a good read (jump to the article here) with SEVERAL links to stories about research pointing to the benefits of new technologies for writers and how it’s helping students write.

I love the last paragraph:

This is really fascinating when you think about it. Historically, many people haven’t been that concerned about their writing, because it didn’t matter. But, the more it matters, the more seriously they take it. This certainly doesn’t mean that everyone has become a good writer — far from it (just view any open comment forum). But, when people really care about what they’re saying, they tend to get better at it, and the internet gives more people more reasons to care. As for all the bad writing out there? It’s not a sign of the destruction of written English. Those people probably wouldn’t be writing much at all without the internet. So it’s actually a step up, relatively, from what they would have been doing in an alternate internetless universe.

Read this article.

Highlight:

Students sat in small groups in Tony Neeley’s science classroom, staring intently at a projected image at the front of the class. A question popped onto the screen. Neeley gave the students a six-digit number and said, “Go.” Instantly thumbs began dancing over cell phone keypads. Within seconds, phones trilled the signal that a text message had been sent. At the same time, answers began dropping into view on the screen, one answer for each group of students, identified by a student’s cell phone screen name.

Sounds inspiring. Thoughts?

I know Mr. Cassidy is interested in trying out cell phones in the classroom, and so is Randy Z. How can we do this without creating problems in other classrooms?

http://weblogg-ed.com/2009/personalizing-education-for-teachers-too/

We’ve all participated in discussions about drawing upon students’ passions and even tailoring their learning to grow those areas of interest, but this article talks about taking it a step further — personalizing education for teachers as well. If you read it, comment on the original article rather than here.

Every time a new media form or means of communication rises into the collective consciousness, detractors lament the end of language, or even civilization, as we know it. The technology always lasts longer than the backlash. Here are two articles speaking against the anecdotal evidence that texting is ruining children’s ability to communicate formally:

http://techdirt.com/articles/20080916/1957542289.shtml

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20126965.300-texting-can-b-gd-4-ur-kids.html

Put that in your pipe and smoke it, fuddy-duddies!

Here is an interesting article from David Warlick’s blog $0.02 Worth.

http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/?p=1686

The last paragraph stood out the most in my mind.

Enjoy