Tag: Teaching
Connecting the Classroom and Outside World (Feedback Requested)
Educators, what are some strategies for connecting the classroom with the outside world?
NOTE: I’d like to share responses in an upcoming workshop/presentation and on my blog and wiki. You can submit your ideas using the form below, share your text/audio/video reply in the Comments section of this post or respond via Twitter, Plurk or on your blog using the tag #thruwalls. You can also view the compiled database of suggested strategies on my wiki, Learning Telecollaboratively.
Share this post using http://tr.im/104.
Conversation tag: #thruwalls
Knowledge Is the Key
Here’s a creative entry in the Interactive Classroom Makeover Contest.
“Viva La Vida” is a parody of the Coldplay music video by the same name. “Live the Life” fits this video well as it talks about ways to live the life with technology. Created by Miss Janelle Keune’s 7th and 8th graders, around 100 students were involved in some aspect of it’s creation from writing, filming, choreographing, mixing the audio, editing, and acting. We were very excited to be able to use back-up music from our own 7th and 8th grade orchestra, directed by Mrs. Jennifer Larson. This video embodies the ways in which technology can impact learning, through improved test scores, better comprehension, a more engaging classroom, and an overall excitement for school. We hope you enjoy “Viva La Vida”. (Source)
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
Animoto Does Even More
I’ve been a fan of Animoto ever since @kconger introduced it to me about a year and a half ago. I’ve used it to make fun videos for friends and family and for end-of-event presentations for things like a conference we hosted and for church camp. I even got the 10 free bumper stickers back when they were offered.
The Animoto Video Contest finalists and winner have just been announced. Wow, folks are doing some really “cool” things with Animoto. I knew that I could now upload and add video into my Animoto files, but I haven’t gotten around to actually trying it. I’m not sure that I would have thought to be as creative as these folks, though. Take a look at the contest page and see if you aren’t inspired. I’m hoping students will begin using this to complete some of their assignments, too.
Wordles of Every Inaugaration Speech [Video and Gallery]
Governing Dynamo has developed a gallery of all 56 American presidential inaugural addresses that includes full transcripts, Wordles (word cloud visualizations) and video footage. The video below can be a useful way to navigate through the gallery. Click on the glowing green dots in the video to learn more about an inaugural address.
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.
What are your aims for classrooms?
Are You Engaging Your Students?
This important message is brought to you by a group of 5th and 6th grade learners.
