If you don't know why you are doing something connected to teaching and learning, why are you still doing it? Join us as we explore resources to help educators and students grow as leaners.
#LifelongLearning #BetterTogether #HappyLearning #AlwaysLearning
Creativity - Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students will:
Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”― Maya Angelou
I believe that content should support the development of student skills connected to the 4 Cs of collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. Students need these skills today and in the future.
If you are interested in resources and tools to support student creation, then we have this document for your exploration. When these tools are used to enhance teaching and learning, incredible things can happen.
If you have an additional resource or want to share how you use one of the tools, could you please share in this Creativity Padlet or post a reply in the comments below.
"#ICE18 will showcase nationally recognized speakers as well as more than 400 informative sessions and workshops. Over 150 corporate sponsors & exhibitors will also be on-site showing their support for the ICE Conference and technology in education."
The ICE Conference has been one of my favorite learning experiences for years. It is truly a conference where learning comes first. I am fortunate this year to be facilitating 3 sessions. If you can't be there in person, I hope you can engage with everyone using the official conference hashtag #ICE18. My Sessions
"Around here we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
We've updated some of our HyperDoc Professional Development Resources. If you are curious about HyperDocs or are planning some HyperDoc Professional Development, there might be something here for you.
HyperDocs Professional Development Slide Deck - This is a web copy of the slide deck. When using this during face to face professional development, Pear Deck will be modeled as a resource to engage and reflect. (The Pear Deck interactives will not be live in this web version.) Links to some of our favorite model HyperDocs are included in this presentation.
HyperDocs Mission Control - This is document serves as the hub for resources connected to exploring and creating HyperDocs. Sections include HyperDoc Essentials, HyperDoc Creation, HyperDocs and the ISTE Standards, HyperDocs and the 4 Cs, and more.
HyperDoc or Not HyperDoc - This is a Professional Development Worksheet to help learners understand the difference between a Worksheet, a WebQuest, a Multi-Media Text Sets, and a HyperDoc. Learners will explore and identify if a learning activity could be considered a HyperDoc or not. One key is recognizing if the 4 Cs are present or not.
HyperDoc Visual Design Resources - Enhance HyperDocs by exploring Visual Design and connect to tools to support the visual enhancement of HyperDocs.
Quizlet - ISTE Standards and HyperDocs - Explore how the ISTE Standards Vocabulary connects to HyperDocs. (Presenters can use Quizlet Live to model a collaborative formative tool that can be connected to Hyperdocs.)
Quizlet - HyperDocs and Learning Frameworks - Explore how Learning Frameworks (SAMR, TPack, Depth of Knowledge, and the Triple E Framework) connect to HyperDocs. (Presenters can use Quizlet Live to model a collaborative formative tool that can be connected to Hyperdocs.)
Formative Assessment Resources - Resources to support formative assessment before, during, and after a HyperDoc learning experience.
Have something you love that can help enhance HyperDocs, please share in the comments below?
"Alone we are smart together we are brilliant." Steven Anderson
Collaboration - Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students will:
Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
I believe that content should support the development of student skills connected to the 4 Cs or collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity.
If you are interested in resources and tools to support student collaboration, then we have this document for your exploration.
Have an additional resource or want to share how you use one of the tools? Please share in our Collaborative Padlet or post a reply in the comments below.
“Critical thinking is thinking about your thinking while you're thinking in order to make your thinking better.”
Richard W. Paul
Creativity - Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students will:
Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
Critical Thinking - Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students will:
Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.
I have long believed that sketchnotes and infographics are great ways for students to connect concepts. I've always believed that the process of the creation is more important than the final product. Timelines are another great tool to help teachers and students connect important concepts. While traditional timelines focus on sequencing historical events, I believe timelines can be creatively connected to most content areas. Timelines are great for helping students organize thoughts and group concepts.
Below are a few of our favorite digital resources for creating timelines. What are we missing? How could you use timelines in your classroom? Please share in the comments below.
BookWidgets Create Interactive timelines using the site's timeline widgets.
Sutori is a free digital learning tool for the classroom. It enables teachers and students to create interactive stories through a simple and intuitive interface.
I just discovered and ordered a new book that sparked my curiosity. If it is as good as I hope it will be, then I will add it to our book resources once I have a chance to get started reading it. If you've had a chance to read it, would you please share your thoughts in the comments below?
"What if education could be better--for students and for educators? Our changing world demands creative thinkers and collaborative problem solvers, but too often, schools stifle growth and discovery in favor of getting through the curriculum or preparing for "the test." Learning opportunities and teaching methods must evolve to match the ever-changing needs of today's learners. When we tell learners to complete an assignment, we get compliance. When we empower learners to explore and learn how to make an impact on the world, we inspire problem solvers and innovators. This required change in education involves more than providing training for administrators and teachers to implement new curriculum or programs and resources; it demands that we, as teachers and leaders, create an environment where learners at every level are empowered to take risks in pursuit of learning and growth rather than perfection. This book is for you if you are wondering . . . What if learners were valued for their diverse talents and not just our traditional model of "smart"? What if I could create new and better experiences for those I serve? What if I could inspire students to learn, to discover their passions, and to share their ideas with the world?"
Creativity - Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students will:
Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
My students and I have used memes several times this year as a creative reflection connected to our learning experiences. Overall, it has been an engaging learning experience. Here are a few tips based on our experiences:
The students need to be reminded that the memes need to be about the content and concepts first. Some of my students were so focused on being witty or funny that the memes created did not connect well with our topics.
It is also important to emphasize design. Many of the world's viral memes are funny, but not all show great design. We talk about visual design before, during, and after the creation. Visual Hierarchy for Effective Design
Students need to know that it is ok to search for sample memes and use these as a reference for their own creative ideas. Don't let them get lost in the search!
Provide students with some templates that allow for creative design as a starting point.
Meme Templates (Folder with Google Drawings and Google Slides) I personally like to use slides with my students. You can use Google Image Search, a Slides Add-on like Unsplash, or the Explore button to find backgrounds.
The best educators are not content to do the same old thing year after year. Innovative educators push their thinking by engaging in social media, exploring blogs, attending conferences, and exploring the newest generation of educational books. We've created a site to organize and share some great books connected to teaching and learning. Each month we will feature a new book from our PLN. Have an idea for our next book of the month? Please share in the comments below.
"Understand it takes more than one conversation to influence change – an initial conversation is a great start, but the real change comes from the ongoing follow-up conversations. Make the time to make change happen 100 conversations at a time." Jimmy Casas
Eradicate Average! CULTURIZE Your School. Average schools don't inspire greatness--and greatness is what our world needs if we are going to produce world-changing learners. In Culturize, author and education leader Jimmy Casas shares insights into what it takes to cultivate a community of learners who embody the innately human traits our world desperately needs, such as kindness, honesty, and compassion. His stories reveal how these "soft skills" can be honed while meeting and exceeding academic standards of twenty-first-century learning.
You'll learn...
How to reach those who seem unreachable.
What to do when students disengage or drop out of school.
How to ensure your learners feel cared for and empowered.
How to create an environment where all learners are challenged and inspired to be their best.
The ISTE EdTech Coaches Network has been engaged in a Book Study and Slow Chat using the Hashtag #ETCoaches. The focus is on using technology to enhance learning and engage students.
The weekly discussions have been great, but two questions this week really caught my interest.
I will be the first to tell you that you need to know why you are doing something before focusing on how or what. I do not believe that there is not a tech tool in existence that can enhance engagement if the teacher and the student don't know why they are using it.
"Work with purpose is passion. Work without purpose is punishment."
Jillian Michaels
Here are some of the tech tools that the EdTech Coaches shared. I believe these are tools being used with a purpose in classrooms across the world. These are roughly in order, with the most mentioned first.
What purpose could you find for each of these tools?
Padlet - It works like a sheet of paper where you can put anything (images, videos, documents, text) anywhere, from any device (pcs, tablets, phones), together with anyone.
Seesaw - Student driven digital portfolios and simple parent communication.
Flipgrid - A video response platform where educators can have online video discussions with students or other educators.
Pear Deck - Interactive, engaging slide presentations to your classroom. Real-time formative assessments and discussions enhance understanding and empower your students' learning process.
Kahoot - A game-based platform that makes learning awesome for millions of people all over the world.
Insert Learning - Insert instructional content on any web page. InsertLearning is a Chrome extension that lets you turn websites into interactive lessons.
EdPuzzle - Make any video your lesson. Pick a video, add your magical touch and track your students' understanding.
These are not the only tools mentioned, but they were the most common.
by Warren Berger.
