Get Started for FREE
Sign up with Facebook Sign up with X
I don't have a Facebook or a X account
 Your new post is loading...
Your new post is loading...
Scoop.it!
Power Up: Common Sense Media's guide to nearly 100 great apps for kids ages 2-17 who have special needs and learning differences. 
No comment yet.
Sign up to comment
Scoop.it!
Beth Dichter's insight:
If you are looking for great toolkits that "provide digital learning resources and ideas for teachers in specific subject areas" look no further than the Digital Learning Day website. These toolkits are "designed to provide guidance on how technology and digital learning can enhance the educational experience and outcomes for all students." Currently they have toolkits in nine areas: * Bring Your Own Device * Civics * English Language Arts * Expanded Learning * Mathematics * Project Based Learning * Science * Social Studies Great resources are provided and additional toolkits may be added in the future!
Scoop.it!
“So many times we encourage students to be creative, but we don’t always provide an explanation nor assessment. I think it is important to provide a definition. You can see that Dictionary.com defines creativity as ‘the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination: the need for creativity in modern industry; creativity in the performing arts’.”
Beth Dichter's insight:
This is the last in a series of posts on Creativity in the Classroom, with a focus on websites that help promote creativity. Included in this post are: * Arts Edge, a wonderful source from the Kennedy Arts Center that "offers free, standards-based teaching materials for use in and out of the classroom. It also offers professional development resources, student materials, and guidelines for arts-based instruction and assessment." * Exploratorium - "a twenty-first-century learning laboratory, an eye-opening, always-changing, playful place to explore and tinker" * Google Lit Trips - a great way to explore literature and Google Earth * Odyssey of the Mind - "an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college." * Diffen - a website that allows you to compare anything An additional ten websites are listed that provide a range of online learning opportunities that help promote creativity!
Scoop.it!
The second annual Digital Learning Day is on February 6, 2013. We've compiled some useful resources on digital learning to help you celebrate the day with your class.
Beth Dichter's insight:
Digital Learning Day is happening this week and Edutopia has put together a great list of resources are will be helpful for Digital Literacy Day and beyond. The list is split into topics: * Integrating Technology into Schools * Online Learning and Blended Classrooms * Teaching with New Media Tools * Video Games in the Classroom * Working with Digital Learners * Additional Resources on the Web You will find links to videos as well as resources from Edutopia and beyond. The resources from Edutopia include brief descriptions.
Scoop.it!
"One of the greatest gifts a teacher can give learners is the opportunity to tell their stories, and to establish venues to have those stories witnessed by others. There is a movement among pockets of educators to make education a passion-based process of learning."
Beth Dichter's insight:
Do you believe "that learning should be interest-driven, that learners should create narratives that they find personally motivating, personally relevant, personally interesting using digital media tools to tell their stories"? This post explores this concept, sharing resources and strategies to help make this happen, specifically by the use of videos. For more information click through to the post.
Scoop.it!
Discover how the Library of Congress' vast resources — both print and digital — can help educators boost their lesson plans.
Beth Dichter's insight:
The Library of Congress has amazing resources, and this infographic provides an overview of what is available!
Scoop.it!
"The student’s eyes drift to the classroom window and the teacher’s voice fades from consciousness. The daydream begins. It’s a familiar scene, one we have likely both experienced as students and struggled against in our students as teachers. But daydreaming is not what it might seem. Recent research in both psychology and neuroscience makes clear that daydreaming is an essential part of mental processing, reasoning and, yes, even learning."
Beth Dichter's insight:
If you have wondered if daydreaming makes students better learners then this article will provide 15 reasons as well as many resources. A few of the reasons listed are (all are quotes): * Daydreaming is the mind's natural state * Daydreaming helps with critical thinking and problem solving * Daydreaming...greatly increases the mind’s ability to smoothly shift in the face of unanticipated events and situations. An additional 12 items are listed.
Scoop.it!
Beth Dichter's insight:
This infographic comes from We Are Teachers and provides information from a survey on game based learning in the classroom. You might also want to check out their website for more information on game based learning, including sections on: How Game Based Learning is Different; Games for the Interactive White Board; Make Game Based Learning Work; and Games and Technology. The link to the resources listed above (and others) is http://www.weareteachers.com/hot-topics/topics-in-education/game-on. ;
Scoop.it!
It’s a shame more people are not aware of the wide array of free online libraries. Where else can you find books, videos, audio recordings, databases, ebooks and more? This guide provides you with links to the best online libraries, and the best free digital books (including children's, crime, academic, classics, science fiction and horror).
Scoop.it!
Joyce Valenza shares LibGuides, guides created by libraians that are available to search and to use. The search tool within it allows you to search all institutions, or choose academics, publics, special interesests, K-12, partner sites, or guide authors. You may also search by keywords and by best of sites by topic. Take a few minutes to check out her post which has additional information, or go directly to Library Guides: http://libguides.com/community.php?m=i&ref=libguides.com.
Scoop.it!
Learn how cellphones, e-book readers, and tablets are getting kids engaged with learning, focused on working smarter, and ready for the future. Edutopia has published a new guide on Mobile Devices for Learning. What's inside? (quoting from the post): 1. Introductions: Pros and cons? Bridging the digital gap? 2. Know your mobile devices 3. Resources for teachers getting started with mobile learning 4. K-12 Apps and Web tools: elementary, middle, and high schools 5. Getting parents on board the mobile train You may download the guide as a pdf file (black and white or color). Registration is required to download but there is no cost.
Scoop.it!
Teachers may spend their days imparting knowledge to others, but that doesn’t mean they should stop learning themselves. A look at 50 resources for teachers to continue their growth as learners and educators, split into the following sections: * Essential Resources - sites "filled to the brim with articles, resources, and learning materials for teachers" * Courses and Workshops - sites to check out for professional development courses/workshops (free and for a fee) * Field Specific - if you are looking for "professional development materials specific to the area in which you teach" check out this section of the post * Skill Building - are there specific skills you need to learn for your classroom? These may help you out. * Groups and Organizations - more offerings of professional development resources for teachers * Social - ways to "reach out to other teachers and educational professsionals"
ICT Across School's curator insight,
January 21, 2014 6:52 AM
50 ideas ... I wonder if it is good to focus on one or two simple things rather than try and do too many.
Scoop.it!
More schools and districts are going to the cloud...but what does that mean? This infographic provides some information about the benefits of being cloud-based as well as some of the issues that may arise. It also lets you know some of the suites available to educators in the cloud, other helpful cloud tools and looks at cloud adoption rates.
|
Scoop.it!
Discover niche sites designed for students and educators, and consider how they might augment online learning resources in your classes.
Beth Dichter's insight:
Although this post discusses these sites in relationship to online learners I would suggest that any of whom use the Internet to do research will find a new resource or two that may be helpful. The seven sites discussed are: * StudyBlue.com * Omeka.com * Bamboo DiRT * World Digital Library * DigitalLiteracy.gov * GCFLearnFree.org * Processing.org You will find a short description about what each site provides as well as a link to the site.
Casey Strachan's comment,
February 23, 2013 1:02 PM
Thanks Beth, I agree, a few great research and information resources!
Casey Strachan's curator insight,
February 23, 2013 1:08 PM
Wether you're a current student, lifelong learner, educator, or if you're a writer or researcher, this article is full of good info. Find online learning resources as well as a few helpful research resources.
Scoop.it!
Beth Dichter's insight:
Librarians are amazing resources and The Digital Shift is the "home for all technology-related stories and features published by 'Library Journal' and 'School Library Journal'." For Digital Learning Day they published a list of resources that are focused on digital learning, organizing them into the following categories: * Research/Curation * Ebooks/Reading * Common Core * Online Tools * Apps * The Big Picture These posts are written many people, including Richard Byrne (FreeTech4Teachers) and Joyce Valenza (NeverEndingSearch). I have posted a few of this articles here but there are many others that I have found valuable listed in this post. Have fun checking them out and finding new resources!
Scoop.it!
Beth Dichter's insight:
Are you looking for online interactive games and simulations for students in grades K - 5. Here is a website that provides links to a wide variety of sites across the curriculum. Click on a topic, such as science, and you will be taken to a page where a variety of topics associated with science, and each of these sub-topics drills down to yet another page which has links to specific sites that you may choose to use. The areas covered are shown in the screen shot above, and it appears that new games and categories are being added (currently the site music says coming soon and the others have links to games).
Scoop.it!
Beth Dichter's insight:
If you have not heard of ProCon.org this is a great introduction through the eyes of students in middle school, high school, and college. Student created videos discuss the value of using ProCon when researching a wide variety of controversial subjects. To quote their mission statement: "Promoting critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship by presenting controversial issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, primarily pro-con format." The statement continues "We accomplish our mission by researching issues that we feel are controversial and important, and we work to present them in a balanced, comprehensive, straightforward, and primarily pro-con format at no charge on our websites." To go directly to the ProCon site (and not the videos):
Scoop.it!
"I believe that creativity is necessary in today’s classroom. In fact, creativity is one of the important 4 C’s (Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity) that make up part of the foundation of a 21st century education. The remaining foundation is of course another C (Significant Content). I believe that when you put all of these C’s together you get two more C’s which make up the 'Common Core'."
Beth Dichter's insight:
This post is the first in series and discusses free resources that may be stored on a local computer or a network. The list includes Scratch, Sketc-Up, Gimp, 3 free office suites, Alice, a variety of tools that will help you make movies and more. Most are described in some detail and there are links to additional resources to help you learn the tool. Additional posts will discuss Web 2.0 apps that may be used on the Internet (and across platforms), web apps and sites that promote literacy and student publication and web sites that promote student creativity.
Randy D. Nichols's curator insight,
January 15, 2013 9:30 AM
A good list to help you start (or continue) bulding a "digital toolbox" for multimodal compositions. (I will steal some of these ideas for my delicious links!)
Scoop.it!
Beth Dichter's insight:
Are you looking for ways to learn online this year? Check out this post which provides 13 possibilities for you to explore. A few of them are: * Get inspired by great speeches - listen to speeches from turning points in history, movies and more! * Directory of open access journals - do you need to research a topic? Check out journals that provide free access. * Publish your own graphic novel - Use Comic Master to write a graphic novel (or perhaps, have students in your class use it). * Explore maps - new and old. With GPS we may neglect maps, yet maps are an amazing tool. Learn about geograpgy, culture, history and more as you explore old maps (and new) at a variety of websites. Nine additional links await you when you click through to this post!
Scoop.it!
"Networking is a prime form of 21st century learning. The world is much smaller thanks to technology. Learning is transforming into a globally collaborative enterprise. Take for example scientists; professional networks allow the scientific community to share discoveries much faster...As educators, we aim to be connected to advance our craft. On another level, we hope to teach students to use networks to prepare for them for a changing job market. But what is the best way to approach PLNs?"
Beth Dichter's insight:
This is a thoughtful list of 20 tips for creating your own professional learning network (PLN) or professional learning community (PLC). The post is divided into two sections. Part 1 provides 10 tips for using PLNs and Part 2 provides 10 tools and strategies to establish a productive PLN/PLC. Links to many resources are also included in the post.
Scoop.it!
Wordwall is an interactive activity maker which allows teachers to make resources to use with a whole class. You can use them on an interactive whiteboard, or just with a projector. Word Wall allow... That's right, you may download WordWall for free with one caveat. At this point you need to be located in the UK or in the US. Read through the comment section looking for the 2nd one from Danny. This comment provides additional information (including the fact that if you are in a private school in the US or a Canadian school you should contact Josh at WordWall). To explore a bit of what you will get if you choose to download this go to http://getwordwall.com/.
Scoop.it!
The Smithsonian asks and answers questions about science, art, history and culture, exciting the learning in everyone, every day. The Smithsonian has recently launched a new website seriouslyamazing.com which “poses questions and answers to show people how it can be an exciting resource for discovery and learning.” They have created " seven quirky characthers to symbolize the questions the Smithsonian asks and answers every day: * The Wild represents the diversity of the animal kingdom Take some time to explore this site. You may discover many new resources available at the Smithonian!
Scoop.it!
Take a journey though the woods and learn about trees and the environment as you collect merit badges. This game, geared to students aged 9 - 12, provides resources for teachers as well as a wide variety of resources for students including: * information on conifers, broadleaf trees and annual ring growth * the cycle of the life of a tree through the seasons * a look at biodiversity, habitats and ecobalance * trees in our lives * forest protection * a variety of experiments/activities * a photo album of trees in North America with information about each * a glossary * links to many additional resources
Scoop.it!
"Education Alberta (Canada) has published a Development guide for Digital Citizenship Policy. This is an extensive document which includes some of my work (Andrew Churches) and that of my esteemed colleague Dr Jason Ohler. This is a great resource and well worth downloading and working through. It is about 80+ pages so you do need to put aside a little time to do this." I would second what Andrew Churches says above. This is a great resource if your are interested in Digital Citizenship Policy. To go directly to the pdf: http://education.alberta.ca/media/6735100/digital%20citizenship%20policy%20development%20guide.pdf.
Scoop.it!
A librarian shares there experience with starting a ereader lending program. This is a detailed article that looks at the planning, research, determiniation of grade levels, cost, permissions, accessibility, teacher needs and more. Using a combination of words and images (see image above and there is another cartoon titles 'Travis's Excellent Adventure: The Devices' as well as a look at pros and cons of ereaders. Links to additional resources are also in this article.
|
Common Sense Media has just released a new guide that provides great resources for students with special needs and learning difficulties. Available to download as a pdf or online you will find six categories split into levels of Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. The six categories are:
* Communication
* Social Interaction
* Organization
* Reading
* Mathematics
* Motor Skills
Each section has an overview, a look at common challenges, common signs, ways to help, what to look for in an app and links to additional resources, and then a page for each level which suggests apps which also has a Power Tip on each page.
This is a great resource for students, teachers and parents. To go directly to the pdf use this link: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/special-needs-full-guide.pdf.