Tag: Learning

Cast Your Votes for the Interactive Classroom Makeover

After receiving more than 200 entries the finalists in the 2009 Interactive Classroom Makeover Contest have been announced. One classroom from each of the three categories will receive a digital makeover worth over $30,000.

Learn more about the contest and rules and cast your votes by Noon EST on December 4, 2009.

Playdough Land Formations

Talking Ed. with My Son

Episode 001 (View entire series)

Our oldest son’s class used Playdough to model the land formations about which they have been learning. He loved this hands-on project! Here’s a quick tour of the geographic landscape that he created (via iPhone video).

 

Educational Connections
Here are some quick thoughts regarding this activity.

  • Our son said everyone in the class really had fun with this project.
  • This is an inexpensive way to encourage kinesthetic learning.
  • An activity like this could potentially move beyond knowledge and comprehension and into some of the higher-order thinking skills such as application.
  • I’m predicting that the students are more likely to retain this information as a result of the hands-on application.
  • You don’t always have to teach with technology. As I always say, “It’s not about the technology. It’s about the learning.”

References

Landforms Image: https://cdn.thinglink.me

What Is Your Aim for Classrooms?

THINKING OUT LOUD
Episode 005

As many of us head into the classroom to begin another year of learning and fun it seems like a good time to consider our aims for classrooms.

Listen!

My Aim for Classrooms

What are your aims for classrooms?

Mobile Devices in the Classroom (Thinking Out Loud #4)

THINKING OUT LOUD
Episode 004

Suggested Reading for 07/28/2009

Animoto: Quick and Slick – Tom Barrett

How to Become a Twitter Teacher – Kapil Bhatia

Why Spend So Much Time on This Stuff? – Liz B. Davis

Powerful Images to Give Lessons Punch – Danny Nicholson

Kids Get Creative with AudioBoo

In episode 3 of Thinking Out Loud I pondered ways that AudioBoo might be integrated with teaching and learning. I shared a few ideas that sprang to mind and invited you to share your ideas and examples. I want to share a couple of AudioBoos that our two youngest children put together.

Listen!

Listen!

It is important to note that these 2 kids are young. They selected their topics, identified the major points that they wanted to share, recorded their interviews without rehearsing, and selected the title and images for their boos. They did this with minimal assistance from me. They learned to use the AudioBoo iphone app, planned their interview, and recorded and published both boos in well under 30 minutes. It was a fun and educational activity for all three of us!

Educational Uses
I encourage you to join me in exploring the potential classroom uses of this technology. Please share your thoughts and examples as text, audio or video comments. Together we learn more!

AudioBoo in the Classroom (Thinking Out Loud #3)

THINKING OUT LOUD
Episode 003

Listen!