Want to use Edmodo in class, but don't know how to start? Here is everything you'll need to get started.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Video Games Play May Provide Learning, Health, Social Benefits - 2013
Video Games Play May Provide Learning, Health, Social Benefits, Review Finds
Playing video games, including violent shooter games, may boost children’s learning, health and social skills, according to a review of research on the positive effects of video game play to be published by the American Psychological Association.
The study comes out as debate continues among psychologists and other health professionals regarding the effects of violent media on youth. An APA task force is conducting a comprehensive review of research on violence in video games and interactive media and will release its findings in 2014.
“Important research has already been conducted for decades on the negative effects of gaming, including addiction, depression and aggression, and we are certainly not suggesting that this should be ignored,” said lead author Isabela Granic, PhD, of Radboud University Nijmegen in The Netherlands. “However, to understand the impact of video games on children’s and adolescents’ development, a more balanced perspective is needed.”
Also...
Social And Emotional Benefits Of Video Games: Metacognition and Relationships
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
College or Entrepreneurship Bound? from 26 Gems
I found this outstanding post on the future of education; it reminds me of the perfect storm, in the sense that we are making our students sitting in front of us miss the boat on their futures'....
In the near future fifty percent of what students learn in a four year higher learning institution will be obsolete by their third year of study.
The Huff Post Teen asked 20 teens what they would change about high school. The answers varied from changing the grading system, scheduling, course offerings, standardized tests, low standards and most importantly eliminating memorization to focus on learning.
These concerns pose a dilemma that should have been solved yesterday. Although some of these concerns have been minimally tampered with, it is still insufficient to meet the requirements that will most likely be needed for the newly created jobs that still have been invented...
It appears that critical changes to education are developing at a rate that is failing to keep up with technology. Ten years ago, the following jobs were non-existent:
App Developer
Data Miner
Admissions Consultants
Millennial Generational Expert
User Experience Designer
Sustainability Expert
Cloud Computing Technologist
Social Media Manager
Scarier yet, look what is coming down the future pipeline in terms of tomorrows jobs:
Body Part Engineer: This individual will be responsible for engineering your new organ (liver, heart, kidney, or lung) for your transplant. Yes, you read it correctly.
Memory Augmentation Surgeon: Research shows that most individuals suffer from memory loss as we age. The surgeon will not only preserve your memory but will improve it. Sweet!
Elderly Well Being Consultant: How about having your very own consultant in your golden age years?
Nano-Medic: fashions smalls implants that will monitor your health and give you medication as needed. Seriously…wow!
Avatar Manager: We have come a long ways from James Cameron’s Avatar movie in 2009. This person will be responsible for developing and handling holograms of virtual individuals.
Climate Controller: Really? The weather conditions will be managed instead of forecasted. Sounds like sci-fi.
Vertical Farmer: The fields will no longer be planted or harvested as we know it. The crops will rise towards the sky leaving plenty of space behind.
Waste Data Handler: One of the components of waste management encompasses the trash we litter, but now waste data handler. Wasted data will have to be disposed of in an responsible manner.
Digital Architect: Advertisers and retailers will market their products in virtual buildings designed by these individuals. Go figure...
Research Source: http://www.wagepoint.com
Generation Z needs to value the skills for the forecasted future jobs which will include skills such as creativity, innovativeness, problem solving, critical thinking, digital literacy, open communication, collaboration, digital citizenship, technology operations, technology concepts, research and information fluency and last but not least entrepreneurism.
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Approximately, 1.5 million iPads have a selection of 20,000 educational apps that may be used in the classrooms. Students prefer to read from a tablet than from a traditional book. They read on average 9 more books on a tablet. About 90 percent of students believe they can learn more effectively by using a tablet. There are about 50,000 books, videos, lectures on the Internet at the tips of their fingers.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
A New Presentation Tool
Pimbl is built to bring your imagination to life. Our aim is to enable the user to express her/himself to the fullest extent allowed by modern technology. To achieve this we've removed all the boundaries and borders and given the user a blank canvas through which to fully express her/himself. Anything is possible on the canvas; its awesomeness is limited only by the individual user's imagination. We want to see amazing content being curated, created, and collaborated upon on the platform.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Lectures Aren't Just Boring, They're Ineffective - Study Findings
The studies analyzed here document that active learning leads to increases in examination performance that would raise average grades by a half a letter, and that failure rates under traditional lecturing increase by 55% over the rates observed under active learning...
...To weigh the evidence, Freeman and a group of colleagues analyzed 225 studies of undergraduate STEM teaching methods. The meta-analysis, published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that teaching approaches that turned students into active participants rather than passive listeners reduced failure rates and boosted scores on exams by almost one-half a standard deviation. “The change in the failure rates is whopping,” Freeman says. And the exam improvement—about 6%—could, for example, “bump [a student’s] grades from a B– to a B.”
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Google Classroom is coming
Google is about to release their classroom function which looks really great.
Apply to try it out today!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
SuperHero Machine
This is a super Web 2.0 tool for creating Super Heroes... So many cool things can be added onto this tools awesomeness.
Monday, May 12, 2014
iPad Academy
iPad Academy will help you master the Apple iPad. Get valuable iPad tips and tutorials. Find easy-to-follow instructions for making the most of the iPad, apps and accessories. Learn how to turn your iPad into a practical and purposeful tool. The original iPad Academy, teaching & training on site and online.
Have a look at all things iPad for educational integration
Friday, May 9, 2014
New Digital Citizenship Program in Quebec Canada
The Quebec Government (MELS) have finally seen the growing need for a Digital Citizenship program. Now this is purely a resource, not a program...
Digital Citizenship
Sommet iPad - 2014
We presented at the Summet iPad this past week looking at a modular approach to iPad Professional Development. It was well received; if you would like to see our presentation and resources here they are... Our Resource Site
It's Not Just Child's Play - Emergent Play!
“All work and no play make Jack a very dull boy”
All play is not created equal; it’s not about the toys, the stimulation, and the entertainment. The type of play that their brains need is where the energy is coming from within the child to construct, build, create and so on. This type of play is called emergent play and in this state you see curiosity, imagination and sense of discovery in full action...
...Emergent play does not typically unfold from activities with a lot of structure and rules, as this tends to confine and take the lead in terms of play. This is not to suggest that we stop these activities but it does mean that we need to stay cognizant that structured play activities are not equal to free play...
...Children who have a lot of stimulation from the TV or computer may report being bored away from these sources because their emergent play and energy has been stifled, subdued or overpowered. For these golden play times to emerge we need to do our part and ensure their relational needs are taken care of, provide the necessary materials, and a space free of stimulation. When these conditions are met, we can sit back and watch their imaginings take hold. We can be rest assured that it is not just child’s play; it is creating the brains that will solve the problems of tomorrow.
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