Category: Professional Development

Project-Based Learning Spotlight: PBL Success Start to Finish

This video from Edutopia spotlights Manor New Technology High School, “where an unwavering commitment to an effective school-wide project-based learning model keeps both students and teachers motivated and achieving their best” (Source). It is “a public high school just outside of Austin in Manor, Texas. It is an entirely project-based learning school that has consistently achieved outstanding results since opening. We followed a project there for three weeks to find out what makes their model so effective” (Source).

Related articles

Developing Young Authors with Storybird

Storybirds are short, art-inspired stories you make to share, read, and print. It is a fun, collaborative, storytelling website that can be an effective resource for teaching parts of a story, the writing process, promoting creativity, and more. Storybird also seamlessly keeps a portfolio of each student’s writing development.

Below are my slides from this workshop. All the workshop materials and resources (including a video tutorial, additional examples, notes, etc.) are available on my wiki, Learning Telecollaboratively.

Developing Young Authors with Storybird

View more Presentations from Clif Mims
Example Storybirds

Halloween Brothers on Storybird

 

You’re Mootiful on Storybird

Related articles

Introduction to Project-Based Learning

Speaking at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Annual Conference, Pat Bassett, NAIS President, highlighted Edutopia‘s project-based learning resources. The George Lucas Educational Foundation has touted PBL’s merits for many years. I decided to revisit the PBL section at Edutopia and thought I’d share this video. It provides a good introduction to project-based learning.

The following quote from Seymour Papert about PBL especially stood out to me. This sort of flies in the face of what we are currently seeing in many of the test-focused schools.

“The first thing you have to do is give up the idea of curriculum. Curriculum meaning you have to learn this on a given day. Replace it by a system where you learn this where you need it. So, that means you are going to put kids in a position where they’re going to use the knowledge that they get.

Related articles

Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age

The following are my slides and resources from a professional development workshop that I’ll be facilitating for a local high school today.

Workshop materials available on the resource wiki, Learning Collaboratively.

I welcome your thoughts and feedback. Together we learn more.

Teaching and Learning in the Digital Age

View more presentations from Clif Mims

Mobile Tools for Teachers’ Toolboxes at #iSummit2011

These are my slides and resources from another of my sessions here at iSummit in Nashville, TN.

More than 4,000 teachers were recently surveyed about the mobile technologies and apps that they and their students most commonly used. This presentation will provide a hands-on introduction to these tools. Strategies for implementation will be shared.

Mobile Tools for Teachers' Toolboxes

View more presentations from Clif Mims

Visit Digital Tools for Teachers’ Toolboxes, Version 2 for even more tools, tutorials, examples, and resources.

Digital Tools for Teachers’ Toolboxes (Version 2.3) at #isummit2011

These are my slides and resources from one of my sessions here at iSummit in Nashville, TN.

More than 4,000 teachers were informally surveyed about the Web tools that they and their students most commonly use. This workshop provides a hands-on introduction to these tools along with teacher-created and student-created examples. Strategies for implementation will be shared.

Workshop materials available on the resource wiki, Learning Collaboratively.

Digital Tools for Teachers' Toolboxes, Version 2.1

View more presentations from Clif Mims.

Interviewed by Wes Fryer

I had the privilege of being interviewed by Wes Fryer for his Speed of Creativity Podcast back in October. We discussed the mission of the Martin Institute for Teaching Excellence, experiences and lessons learned from our inaugural conference, rethinking professional development, and my appreciation for educators throughout the Midsouth. Listen to the podcast by clicking on the play button below the photo.

Wes Fryer and Clif Mims

 

Show Notes

  1. The Martin Institute
  2. The Martin Institute Conference Wiki (with links to presentation resources)
  3. Video: About the Martin Institute

Talking Ed.: Nurturing Creativity

Nurturing Creativity

Talking Ed. with Rosalynn Wade

Episode 003 (View entire series)

Program Director, Rosalynn Wade, describes the innovative network of schools dedicated to nurturing creativity in every learner. I was able to visit with Rosalynn and others from Oklahoma A+ Schools during the World Creativity Forum in Oklahoma City. My thanks to Rosalynn for participating in this impromptu interview.

Connect with Oklahoma A+

About the Martin Institute for Teaching Excellence [Video]

The Martin Institute for Teaching Excellence provides world-class professional development for educators. The Institute provides on-site seminars, workshops and conferences; a teacher residency program; and funding for off-site professional development, especially Project Zero at Harvard University. The Institute draws on the research and ideas of leading educational thinkers and child development experts, and it blends theory with practical application, including the opportunity for teachers to observe, network and/or develop their craft.

Summer Conference
The 2011 Martin Institute Summer Conference will be in Memphis, TN on June 15-16. This year’s theme is Teaching for Tomorrow, which focuses on 21st century skills. The world-class slate of presenters and workshop facilitators includes Bill Nye the Science Guy, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, Tom Barrett (@tombarrett), Paul R. Wood (@paulrwood), and many other outstanding educators and thought leaders.

Audio and Video Tutorials Made Simple #aaim2011

I’ve been developing this professional development workshop for the past few months and I am excited about presenting it for the first time today at the AAIM Conference.

Workshop Description
Equip parents to help with homework and enable students to engage with course content inside and outside the classroom with online tutorials. Learn how to easily create audio and video tutorials using free web-based resources.

Workshop Resources
Wiki Page with workshop lesson plan, tutorials, notes, and materials

Audio and Video Tutorials Made Simple

View more presentations from Clif Mims