Technology is a vital tool in education today. It has the power to redefine instruction and revamp student engagement. But, just like all good things, we often run into challenges along the way. Technology is always changing. Just when we think we’ve mastered a tool, new updates roll out and…
Do you often find yourself wishing for a few extra minutes (or hours) each day? I think we’ve all been there, but as educators, a few more moments to grade those stack of papers or extend the perfect in-class discussion seems impossible at times. So, the idea of introducing a…
The power of video as a learning tool is no secret to today’s educators. Videos have become an essential element in the classroom, but it isn't always easy to know if the students are engaged when it's shared. YouTube, Vimeo, Kahn Academy, and Discovery are just a few resources that are…
Reflect with me for a moment to days in your classroom when students are giving presentations….ALL DAY! Each a similar progression of slides presented by students anxious about speaking in front of their peers. Do you find yourself wishing students were more focused on content than how a slide will zoom,…
Students today are different than they were five or even 10 years ago. Their lives are flooded with technology and students want to use this tech to create in a variety of ways. Think about the times in your teaching career when you assigned an open ended project, meaning students…
There’s nothing like seeing the name of your school scroll across the bottom of the TV screen when the snow starts to fall outside. It means a day of sledding and hot chocolate! But, not anymore. In many states, schools are opting for e-Learning as a way of keeping up…
SUMMER FOREVER...or don’t we wish! It’s that time of year again! July 4th has come and gone, the back-to-school signs have appeared in our favorite stores, and those beloved summer days are quickly coming to an end. In the midst of the back to school madness, it’s easy to let…
Continuous instruction during the winter months sometimes feels like climbing up a steep, snow covered hill while dodging oncoming sleds. We keep treading the snow covered incline, but slide back every few steps.
With record-breaking snowfall, many school districts around the nation are exploring options for a non-traditional school day during the winter months; whereby students receive instruction while off for inclement weather. Although this idea is meant to keep from extending the school year as well as provide more instructional continuity, the founding concept reaches far beyond simply making up a snow day. This Blended Learning model has the transformative power to change traditional teaching and learning. Through this transformation, learning becomes more student centered, more innovative, and without the laws of time and space.
ThingLink continues to be my top app pick for both student explanation of learning and teacher created content. It works in a BYOD, iPad, Chromebook, or laptop environment, and is an excellent suggestion for creating student products outside of the classroom. It’s quick, easy, and user friendly. Create classes, add students, and manage their accounts with a ThingLink Teacher account, or have your students over the age of 13 create their own free accounts.
Redirect accountability and promote higher-order thinking skills to develop a more learner-led environment.