A 2005 U.S. Department of Education study found that whole-class instruction was the most common format experienced by secondary students with disabilities as well as students in regular education academic classes. The same study showed that only thirteen percent of secondary students with disabilities in general education classes experienced substantial curriculum modification or a specialized curriculum. If we know that differentiated instruction is effective in improving student performance, while still meeting required performance standards, why aren’t more teachers using it?
Read MoreA few years ago the education world found itself entranced by the iPad, a powerful tablet that promised to revolutionize one-to-one programs and revitalize teacher engagement with technology in the wake of sweeping mobile device adoptions. For years, the iPad seemed to dominate educators’ discussions. Now, that storm seems to have passed, as educators and ed-tech enthusiasts are broadening their horizons and looking to the future.(…)
Read MoreEvery educator needs some inspiration now and then, and these days, such inspiration can be found online in just a few seconds. The internet brings inspiring and motivational speakers and experts to anyone with a connection and an internet-ready device. (…)
Read MoreLet’s face it, times have changed.
The way we learned in school by sitting at a desk with a book, notebook and pencil are no longer the norm. Textbooks and notebooks are being replaced with tablets. The pencil is being replaced by the stylus. Touchscreen technology and cloud computing are revolutionizing how, where, and even when students learn and share information.
Read MoreTechnology is helping teachers to expand beyond linear, text-based learning and to engage students who learn best in other ways. Its role in schools has evolved from a contained “computer class” into a versatile learning tool that could change how we demonstrate concepts, assign projects and assess progress. (…)
Read MoreThis is a wonderfully nostalgic November 11, 2014 article originally written by Caelin Loesch for the Huffington Post. Remember the good old days, when we had to walk to school every morning, uphill, both ways, through 3 feet of snow. Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beer holder ‘er beholder. How will today’s digital generations look back on their childhoods 20 years on? Enjoy!
Read MoreThird grader Cordell Steiner makes a pretty convincing argument for using video games in the classroom in this TEDx talk. He describes feeling more motivated to learn and master new skills because of his eagerness to beat his own high score or finish before the clock runs out. (…)
Read More21st century learning isn’t a trend as much as a reality.
It’s 2013, so whatever you’re doing in your classroom right now is technically 21st century learning. Semantics aside, we all can improve, and many of us are being held accountable for improvement by administrators, blogs, and the local PLC to “bring the next generation into the 21st century.”
With that kind of pressure—and constant district walk-throughs—it may be necessary for you to fake a 21st century thinking and learning environment to make the right kind of impression with the right people, and give the appearance of forward-thinking.
Read MoreResearchers at the University of California, Berkeley have invented a brain decoder device that’s able to work out what you’re thinking based on neuron activity inside the brain — essentially, the experimental system means your private inner thoughts are no longer so private. Researchers invited test subjects to read a passage of text out loud and then again in their mind, monitoring brain activity each time to look for linked patterns.
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