In the News: 14 Open Educational Resources for High School
To kick off this week's curation, we'll start with something we published here at Edutopia: the last video in our Tech2Learn series. The videos, which were co-produced by Teaching Channel, look at inspiring ways educators use tech tools in the classroom.
Last week's package, "Blended Learning Energizes High School Math Students," looked at an algebra teacher who has embraced Khan Academy in class, and so far, he's seen some promising improvement on test scores. In addition to the video, several resources were also released with the package.
14 Open Resources for High School Teachers
GettingSmart posted this treasure trove of tools for teachers, and although the list is aligned with high school curriculum, many of the listings also feature great K-8 pages. There's some familiar favorites, including Khan Academy and PBS LearningMedia, as well as some lesser-known, just-as-useful teaching resources included in the list. (GettingSmart)
Google Puts Historical Archives Online with New Cultural Institute
Last week, Google launched the Google Cultural Institute, a free online collection of42 historical archives. Google worked with several museums to produce the packages that feature a variety of media resources -- including text, video and photographs -- centered on historical figures and important events. With the interactive multimedia pieces, history is making a big jump into the digital generation.
Professor Builds Tool That Automatically Grades Writing Assignments
Never grade another essay! That's the thinking behind the computer program SAGrader, which allows teachers to post writing assignments online and then grades them in seconds when students are finished. And... it works (for the most part). In testing, the program agreed with human graders 93-98 percent of the time. (Edudemic)
The Flip: End of a Love Affair
Last week, this piece by teacher Shelley Wright stirred up a great conversation about the flipped classroom. For Wright, there were a number of different reasons flipping her classroom didn't work, but ultimately, she decided to embrace a project-based learning model in her class. (Powerful Learning Practice)
PD: How Do Educators Get to Know What They Don’t Know?
Author Tom Whitby proposed the question and looked at a couple of possible answers to how educators develop. (One interesting answer: from student teachers?) But, for Whitby, the best way to improve education -- providing the "biggest bang for the all-important, tax buck" -- is through professional development.(SmartBlog on Education)