There is a lot of great, cool, fun and interactive tools out there for students, teachers, parents, even communities. There are people out there making it their lives goal to share these tools with the world and improve the education system. here are a few ideas I cam across in my technology class.
Who Owns the Learning??
Alan November, 3 Skills Students Need to Succeed
Other Videos by Alan November:
Who Owns the Learning?
Promethean Keynote
What Tools are available?
One Laptop Per Child Project
Their mission is to get laptops to the children of developing countries. OLPC feels the can give the gift of knowledge and the ability to learn through the use of the laptops. They provide an education for almost $20 per student!!!! In the US it is like $7500 per child! If they can do this in a developing country, why can’t we do that here?! They are opening up the world for those students, and it is inspiring isn’t it?! If they can do this, why can’t it be done in our own schools?
These computers are small, wireless, a screen that can be seen in sunlight, durable, energy efficient, and cheep (about $199 per computer). You can donate any amount on their website, and even donate in someone else’s name.
Maine Laptop Program
This article nicely summarizes the Maine laptop program: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25782209/
Applications: Cell Phones, Tablets, and more
Android Market:
Khan Academy: Pocket Classroom
This non-profit channel has videos ranging in topics from school subjects to complex information about the financial world. They have over 1,000 videos that both students and teachers can use to further their learning, or use to learn content information in a new way, through a different set of eyes so to speak. This is the app version of their website.
Classroom Organizer
This one is for the TEACHERS. This app helps teachers keep track of their classroom library. I know if you are anything like me, a book worm, you are protective of my books. I won’t lie, I buy a second copy of my favorite books so that I always have a nice, clean, unmarked version, just incase something happens to the one I read. This app allows me to keep track of my classroom books that I have.
School A to Z (for PARENTS)
Made by the New South Wales (a state in the east of Australia) Department of Education.
Other Apps:
Other Ideas for Emerging technology to use in the classroom:
Social Learning:
Facebook in Education: see this group: http://www.facebook.com/education
When it comes to Facebook in the classroom, I am on the border. I feel like, depending on the age of the students and the teacher, it can be good or bad. I remember being in middle school and trying to find out EVERYTHING about our teachers, and using Facebook would only make it easier. I also had teachers in high school that added students with out even thinking about it. On the other hand, I had teachers that wouldn’t even friend out after you graduated, in their mind, you will always be their student, if you wanted to see or talk to them, you knew where their classroom was or what their phone # or email address was. However, I have had college teachers that I have added as a friend, and I know that they had separate profiles, one for school and one for friends/family. The two never meet, never crossed. So if we would create just a site, an online classroom, I think that would be ok. Facebook has groups that allow you to join but still keep your profile privet. I mean, isn’t that what I am already starting to do by creating my blog and my Wiki? Giving my students and their parents a place to gather information and to help them selves? But at the same time, my privet life is my own, and their privet life is theirs.
Edmodo in Education: Check it out: http://www.edmodo.com/
This is the Facebook of Education! Check out these videos:
Alan November, 3 Skills Students Need to Succeed
- 32% of young adults lived with their parents in 1990, by 2006, that number had increased to 65%, even those who graduated with a college degree.
- November's Three skills:
- #1 Information Processing (organize, make meaning, and move on),
- #2 Work Globally (organize people everywhere to solve the same problems),
- #3 Be Self-directed (Know what to do without needing to be told, less layers of management, need lifelong learning)
Other Videos by Alan November:
Who Owns the Learning?
Promethean Keynote
What Tools are available?
One Laptop Per Child Project
Their mission is to get laptops to the children of developing countries. OLPC feels the can give the gift of knowledge and the ability to learn through the use of the laptops. They provide an education for almost $20 per student!!!! In the US it is like $7500 per child! If they can do this in a developing country, why can’t we do that here?! They are opening up the world for those students, and it is inspiring isn’t it?! If they can do this, why can’t it be done in our own schools?
These computers are small, wireless, a screen that can be seen in sunlight, durable, energy efficient, and cheep (about $199 per computer). You can donate any amount on their website, and even donate in someone else’s name.
Maine Laptop Program
This article nicely summarizes the Maine laptop program: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25782209/
Applications: Cell Phones, Tablets, and more
Android Market:
Khan Academy: Pocket Classroom
This non-profit channel has videos ranging in topics from school subjects to complex information about the financial world. They have over 1,000 videos that both students and teachers can use to further their learning, or use to learn content information in a new way, through a different set of eyes so to speak. This is the app version of their website.
Classroom Organizer
This one is for the TEACHERS. This app helps teachers keep track of their classroom library. I know if you are anything like me, a book worm, you are protective of my books. I won’t lie, I buy a second copy of my favorite books so that I always have a nice, clean, unmarked version, just incase something happens to the one I read. This app allows me to keep track of my classroom books that I have.
School A to Z (for PARENTS)
Made by the New South Wales (a state in the east of Australia) Department of Education.
Other Apps:
- Kid Apps: All in 1
- Socrative Teacher & Socrative Student
- Math Evolve: A Fun Math Game
Other Ideas for Emerging technology to use in the classroom:
- Top10 Emerging Educational Technologies by G. Andrew Page using Slideshare
- Lecture Tools
Social Learning:
Facebook in Education: see this group: http://www.facebook.com/education
When it comes to Facebook in the classroom, I am on the border. I feel like, depending on the age of the students and the teacher, it can be good or bad. I remember being in middle school and trying to find out EVERYTHING about our teachers, and using Facebook would only make it easier. I also had teachers in high school that added students with out even thinking about it. On the other hand, I had teachers that wouldn’t even friend out after you graduated, in their mind, you will always be their student, if you wanted to see or talk to them, you knew where their classroom was or what their phone # or email address was. However, I have had college teachers that I have added as a friend, and I know that they had separate profiles, one for school and one for friends/family. The two never meet, never crossed. So if we would create just a site, an online classroom, I think that would be ok. Facebook has groups that allow you to join but still keep your profile privet. I mean, isn’t that what I am already starting to do by creating my blog and my Wiki? Giving my students and their parents a place to gather information and to help them selves? But at the same time, my privet life is my own, and their privet life is theirs.
Edmodo in Education: Check it out: http://www.edmodo.com/
This is the Facebook of Education! Check out these videos:
Ning: http://www.ning.com/?n_e=1&n_v=4
Teacher PLN (personal learning network) learning example: http://edupln.ning.com/
Teacher PLN (personal learning network) learning example: http://edupln.ning.com/
- Twitter – personally, I am not a fan of twitter, I like to read tweets, but I am not a tweeter, maybe one day I will get into it, but not yet. I agree I tried to get into the idea, but I cannot, I don't understand why.
- Professional blogs
- Linked in
Other types: Find other ways for social learning in your classroom
- Wiki- Check out our Wikis and our professor’s Wiki that his students made
- Blogs- See the other tabs on the blog to see how we encourage and help our students, parents, and fellow teachers learn
- Delicious and Diigo (create a group): I really like the idea of diggo and the fact you can share an important thought with a group or class. You can take notes on what was key and pinpoint where to look. This make searching for information easier when you know what you looking for. It is also awesome you can have all you bookmark in one stop. You can always add to them and see what is new.
- Skype for educator (see what it has to offer): Skype for educators is a cool thing you can use in the classroom. You can have a discussion with professionals without them coming into the classroom. This is a good idea because students get real experience with professionals and they get a different side of the story. You can also do what Holman is doing. He has classrooms linked from different sides of towns.