Daily Education & Technology News for Schools 08/03/2010
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Day One = Pure Potential « Math Rules
Love this blog post about the first day of school!
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Some cool information those who have health programs may want to use (particularly younger kids.) Some cool resources and games on this website. Here is the press release they sent me. This is sort of cool.
"Get ready, It's Back to School!
Starting a new School year is a great opportunity to introduce and reinforce the healthy habits we all want to instill in our children. The OrganWise Guys make learning about nutrition and physical activity FUN and memorable for children ages 3-12! We would like to send you a complimentary OrganWise Guys Back to School Kit to review and share with your followers. If you're interested, please provide a shipping address.
Imagine if your body could speak to you. Really. Imagine if it could really speak to you. For children, learning has to be imaginative and fun. So, as the childhood obesity crisis persists, teaching children about health and wellness is imperative but it has to be imaginative and fun. See for yourself by visitinghttp://www.organwiseguys.com/kids.htmland listening to The Buddy Song.
The OrganWise Guys Back to School Kit includes:
* Monthly Healthy Behavior Tracking Calendar: With the start of a new school year, take on a new healthy behavior each month! The calendar is designed for use beginning any month of any year.
* Sir Rebrum Plush Toy: The brainy but cute professor is also the leading caricature in the Breakfast Skippin' Blues Video
* School Days Here We Come! Book:It's the first day of school and time to meet all The OrganWise Guys classmates and see where they live!
* Breakfast Skippin' Blues Video: Sir Rebrum is having a hard time remembering his lines in a school play. Can you guess what he forgot to do that morning?" -
A Student Teacher's ePortfolio
Hi friends - could you comment on this teacher's eporfolio. Here are the questions she asked me - some of you may be more qualified to share your answers.
"I stumbled upon your blog while developing my own blog and am quite inspired
by your use of ICT in the classroom and your blog.
I'm a new student teacher, studying my Graduate Diploma of Teaching and
Learning (Primary) at University of Southern Queensland, Australia.
We are encouraged to create and maintain an ePortfolio of our learning as we
progress our studies and once we become qualified teachers we should use it
as a ongoing tool for reflection.
I'm interested in:
- how best to use this blog; can you direct me to any similar styles of blog
you may be aware of of student teachers that show best practice?
- how to incorporate ICT into my classroom practice;" -
School IT Use Falls Short, Survey Says - Digital Education - Education Week - Annotated
Reviewing a summary of a technology survey done by CDW which found that:
"Seventy-six percent of students reported using social media tools, which are routinely blocked by school districts, for educational use outside school. Yet almost all the technologies that students regularly use, such as MP3 players, smartphones, online chats, blogs, and podcasts, were rarely used in the classroom, the survey found."
Rob Mancibeli is quoted in the article and I know of his excellent work. This was discussed at ISTE.
We have a long way to go! The key issue here though, is the "definition" of teach and learn -- although teachers are using the tech to teach -- sounds like students AREN'T using it to learn! (They said 60% of students said teachers use technology to teach but only 26% said they were encouraged to use technology to learn -- perhaps it is who has it in their hands!) -
I really enjoyed looking at this google site by Anath Pai about the websites that her students use in class. What does Anath have in the classroom?
"Students in our class are trying to make a law that every class should have technology for childrens' use like we have. For example, we have 7 laptops and 2 desktops, 11 Nintendo DS' and 18 games for math, reading, vocabulary, geography, etc. & 21 digital voice recorders for our use."
Read the website to see how they are using this technology. Just very cool. They also share their test scores and how they have improved through using this technology. Just a great website to read.
Anath Pai, the teacher who contacted me, says:
" I teach 3rd grade in White Bear Lake, MN. I offer learning program using data driven, scalable, multi-player game based curriculum that is delivering the academic results being demanded these days. On my classroom site is a TV news video featuring Robert Stephens, CTO of Best Buy and founder of Geek Squad, State legislator, parents, students and some of the programs we use. Please check this out http://sites.google.com/site/teamdrillhead”"
Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
