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Student Research: The Right Information at the Right Time

Terry HeickDecember 19, 2012

Tags Classroom Technology, Media Literacy, Technology Integration, Middle (6-8), High (9-12)

Google puts a universe of information at the end of any Internet connection.

This is both true and unhelpful. It offers up the universe, but no one needs the universe -- they need the right information, and they need it at the right time.

A fact. A concept. An image. A resource. Maybe a new perspective.

Ramping Up Technology for Your Next PBL Project

Andrew MillerDecember 12, 2012

Tags Classroom Technology, Media Literacy, Project-Based Learning, Technology Integration, High (9-12)

In my last post about taking PBL projects up a notch, I focused on integration of subject matters and disciplines. Fittingly, this post focuses on integrating technology. Teachers often adjust and improve projects by finding new and innovative ways to infuse technology into the PBL process and products. However, it's not about more technology tools, but about the intentional use of the tools available.

Computers in the Classroom: A Mindful Lens on Technology

Douglas RushkoffDecember 11, 2012

Tags Classroom Technology, Media Literacy, Technology Integration

I was raised back in the day when teachers showed 16mm films in the classroom. It was a special event: the A/V librarian would wheel in an aqua-colored Bell & Howell projector, one of us nerdy types would wind the film through the various rollers, the screen would come down, the lights would go off and the magic would begin. Even the most boring film was still surrounded by this specialness, which set it apart from business-as-usual in the classroom.

Digital Native vs Digital Citizen? Examining a Dangerous Stereotype

Mary Beth HertzDecember 3, 2012

Tags Classroom Technology, Digital Citizenship, Media Literacy, , Technology Integration

There are a lot of dangerous stereotypes out there. "Asian students are always better at math." "Boys are always better at sports." And perhaps the most dangerous of all: "The current generation are all digital natives."

It is easy to see the danger in the first two stereotypes. They tend to influence the way teachers, parents, peers and society in general classify, justify and treat whichever group is represented by the stereotype. I'm not sure enough people give enough thought to the third, equally dangerous, stereotype.

Election Night at NPR: Real-World Projects for the Classroom

Andrew MillerNovember 13, 2012

Tags Current Events, Media Literacy, National, Project-Based Learning, High (9-12)

As you can see from the photo above, I got to politically "geek-out" on Election Night 2012. National Public Radio had put out an all-call for bloggers and other social media gurus to take part in #NPRMeetup. At this meetup, not only were we able to get up-to-the-minute developments on election results, but we were also behind the scenes at NPR Studios. The #NPRMeetup Team was comprised of a variety of individuals and political perspectives, all with their own objectives. My objective was to learn about the process and use these ideas to share with the education community in hopes that teachers might create classroom experiences that connected.

Learnist: A Helpful Tool on the Road to Inquiry

Hauna ZaichNovember 12, 2012

Tags Classroom Technology, Media Literacy, Technology Integration

The meaningful and careful use of technology is one of the most significant conversations in education today. When educators offer students greater access to knowledge through technology, and encourage them to use that knowledge to inquire about the world around them and beyond, they are providing students a chance to succeed in even the toughest conditions.

#EduElection: Tweet Through the Election

Michelle Lampinen, NBCTNovember 5, 2012

Tags Current Events, Media Literacy, , High (9-12)

The Birth of an Idea

On October 22, teachers in our district came together on Twitter under the hashtag #mcvsdDebate. We are a county-wide vocational district with five academies, focusing on math, science and communications. Students are academically talented and apply to their school of choice. They must complete an application and take an entrance exam. Our goal was to work with students beyond the classroom walls as they put their thoughts about the Presidential race into writing. We also wanted to teach them how to use social media to learn from students outside their class.

Teacher Experience and Expectations for the 1:1 Elementary Classroom

Andrew MarcinekOctober 31, 2012

Tags 1:1 Implementation, Classroom Technology, Media Literacy, Primary (K-2), Technology Integration

In my last two posts, I detailed the iPad initiatives at Burlington High School. I talked about what we learned after a year of a 1:1 iPad environment and dispelled some myths surrounding iPads in education. Recently, I had the opportunity to connect with two of my elementary teachers at Pine Glen Elementary and Francis Wyman Elementary schools. This year, four first grade classrooms will be piloting a 1:1 iPad environment. The iPads stay in the classroom and are only used during class time. Two of the teachers involved, Irene Farmer and Erin Guanci, sat down with me and answered a few questions about their expectations of the initiative, how they are using the device at the moment, and how they feel it will work in an elementary classroom.

Four Scary Good Ed Tech Sites

Nicholas ProvenzanoOctober 25, 2012

Tags Classroom Technology, Media Literacy, Technology Integration

I spent some time trying to come up with a really scary post for Halloween, but I decided I would stay positive instead and share some scary good sites on educational technology. Get it? Scary? Anyway, here are four tried and true sites I always turn to when I need help with a tech tool or when I'm looking for something new. Warning: the puns you are about to read are also terrifying.

Five-Minute Film Festival: Remixing Civics

Amy Erin Borovoy (aka VideoAmy)September 21, 2012

Tags Current Events, Media Literacy, National, All Grades, History

September 17th was National Constitution Day, and with the elections fast approaching, it's a great time to start conversations with your students about civics. Several reports in the last few years have surfaced concerns that civics education is getting the short end of the stick in the American education system (read "Why Civic Education Needs a Boost" by Suzie Boss and "Let's Bring Civic Education to the Front Burner" by Anne O'Brien for more thoughts on this). And I probably don't need to convince anyone reading this about the value -- no, the absolute necessity -- of teaching young people to become engaged and active citizens.

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