All Blog Posts (9,941)

Promoting Class Discussions

Question: What questions will technology advocates have to answer for most teachers before they begin to use the tools of Web 2.0 including social networks sites, more frequently?

Answer:

1. What's in it for me if I use the tools of Web 2.0?

2. What's in it for my students if we use the tools of Web 2.0?

3. Are the costs of learning how to use the tools of Web 2.0 and becoming comfortable enough with them so that I can introduce them in my classes worth…

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Added by Andrew Pass on April 11, 2007 at 7:34am — 1 Comment

My feelings on the DOE report (cross posted from my blog)

I missed this when it first came out, but I've been seeing the repercussions all over the web.

Recently the DOE released the findings of a study they'd done on the

effectiveness of software in reading and mathematics. The basic finding

was that software does not help. There are… Continue

Added by Steve Dickie on April 11, 2007 at 7:07am — 5 Comments

Houston drops NCLB standardized tests

I just got done watching the ABC national news, which by the way, a big thank you to Charles Gibson for his sign off, "I'm Charles Gibson and I hope you had a good day." Thanks Charle... I hope you had a good day too. It's funny, it's like ABC thought, "Hmmm... we just got done telling them about all of the war torn, genocide ridden, paternity testing, you better listen to our recall or your pet will die news.... how can we make them feel better? I know, let's tell them that WE hope YOU had a… Continue

Added by Mitch Fowler on April 10, 2007 at 5:13pm — No Comments

Where Is the Technology Revolution in Education? (School 2.0, Part 10)

http://www.edtechlive.com/audio/Russell.mp3

http://www.edtechlive.com/audio/Russell.ogg

School 2.0 Interview series: http://www.edtechlive.com/recordings+list

Yesterday I recorded this audio interview with Michael Russell… Continue

Added by Steve Hargadon on April 10, 2007 at 4:45pm — No Comments

Voice Thread

Voice Thread is a delightful idea, a cross between, voice messaging, simple whiteboard, message board and photoalbum.

Teachers are invited to sign up free and create identities for their students, who can then communicate in text, voice and even…

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Added by SusanTsairi on April 10, 2007 at 3:00pm — 6 Comments

Memorizing the Flow

So, a lot of the edublogerrati have heard of and referenced Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's Flow. It's one of those memes--the desired state of total immersion in a complex task that enables you to experience a state of semi-ecstasy--that's… Continue

Added by SparklingDrift on April 10, 2007 at 2:16pm — 3 Comments

Redirect

I don't know how some of you keep up with a webpage, blog, wiki, Classroom2.0, and teaching a full load of classes!! I have a blog where I keep tips and tidbits collected from my educational reading so I can share them with my colleagues here at CFPMS.
http://cfpmsram.blogspot.com

Added by Robin Martin on April 10, 2007 at 10:32am — 2 Comments

Getting into ning

I'm starting to get involved with this place and it definitely has me intrigued. I've already learned a lot here and my mind is spinning. I'm still trying to figure it all out. Like this blog thing. What do I want this place to be about and how is it different from the forum? Also, the chatter thing. I really don't get that yet. At times this site also seems slow.

I can see how environments like this can take up a lot of time and become somewhat addictive. I can identify with some of… Continue

Added by Elizabeth Davis on April 10, 2007 at 7:56am — 3 Comments

More on the History Project

Last year in our AP History classes (3 classes with 48 kids) we decided to try a project after the AP exam. The juniors still have 3 weeks of class and the pressure of the AP is gone. The basic project was to research their topic and then as a group to prepare an electronic museum exhibit The exhibit would also need a one page abstract with an image to be placed in the museum booklet.Parents, younger students and school administrators would be invited. In preparation students were told to visit… Continue

Added by elizabeth helfant on April 10, 2007 at 6:44am — No Comments

Online Social Communities and School Improvement

Research clearly demonstrates that the most effective schools focus on learning, not teaching. Everybody learns in these schools from the students to the teachers to the maintenance people. Research also demonstrates that too little authentic learning actually occurs in schools. ~~Many~~ Some of us simply close our doors and teach the same way we have been doing for many years. We are intimidated about opening our practice to the scrutiny of others.

Recently there's been…

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Added by Andrew Pass on April 9, 2007 at 9:44pm — 6 Comments

About Me

I work at a k12 school in instructional technology. We are doing a decent job integrating web2.0. We have used newsvine, googledocs, fleck, flickr, diigo, del.icio.us, wikis, and blogs. We have given up the 11th grade US history exam in favor of a research project that concludes with a tech presentation. Things are good but there is much to learn.

Added by elizabeth helfant on April 9, 2007 at 9:03pm — 2 Comments

First Timer

This is my first post to this particular blog. I am a late career teacher having graduated in 2003 with a degree in Secondary Eduation - English. I will complete my master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction in May 2007 through a cohort program. During the past 2 years I have engaged in action research in my classroom focusing on the effect of technology on student reading comprehension and success in the classroom.

I have embraced using blogs in the classroom just recently. I…

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Added by Teralyn Cohn on April 9, 2007 at 8:48pm — 1 Comment

PodCampNYC

I just finished blogging this on my own site.. PodCamp NYC was held thi past Saturday, April 7 at the New Yorker Hotel in NYC...

Get Out & Play! PodCampNYC Report

What a Great Day! Though I must say, I thought it would be more crowded. I actually ran into a couple of people I know: Sarah McPherson one of my…

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Added by Lynne Bailey on April 9, 2007 at 6:48pm — No Comments

How will this blog be unique?

I have more blogs than I know what to do with. I like the look of this site and the opportunity to share with an educational group. After a full year of writing on a blog and an online writing journal and a tech team blog, without too many comments to respond to, it was more about writing asa personal habit and that's great! And I do have a collaborative blog that I know is read and shared....love that one.

I have invited lots of members to be friends. I have 31 already.… Continue

Added by Bonnie Kaplan on April 9, 2007 at 12:31pm — 4 Comments

365 days

Over at the Library 2.0 group, Libraryman(Michael) who is a power Flickr user, posted a great idea that I wanted to share here.

He's starting a 365 Library Days project, where you document your library for a year, and post 365 photos to the Flickr library group.

I thought this idea had a lot of connections for Classroom 2.0. What if we contributed 365 photos to a classroom 2.0 group on flickr? Or just took this idea back to our individual schools?

little cogs

I watched the TED talk that was posted yesterday. The one of Sir Ken Robinson, who asks the question: does education kill children's creativity? This really struck home with me...

I have been one severely angst ridden teacher this year. Nothing seems to go right and I find myself trying to instill creativity, collaborative skills and interdisciplinary thinking into students who not only aren't receptive, but whose parents aren't receptive either. I think I'm beginning to get ground up… Continue

Added by Shawn Moore on April 9, 2007 at 7:27am — 1 Comment

AWESOME Digital Learners Video!!

I came across this insightful video this morning about Digital Learners and why technology is important to incorporate when teaching students.

This is not a new idea, but one that is dear to me. Use this video anytime

you have a room full of teachers and you're trying to help them see why

technology is important. Not just to help them… Continue

Added by Jeff VanDrimmelen on April 9, 2007 at 7:00am — No Comments

Bluebonnets in the Snow in the Texas Hill Country

Ok, so it is not what I usually blog about, but I had an interesting adventure this last weekend, and I want to share it.

My wife, my 80 year old Mother, and myself, all decided on the spur of the moment to head for the Texas hill country for a couple of spring

days of wildflower viewing. We had been in this area before, on about

the same time of year, and found beautiful diplays of our native State

Flower, the Bluebonnet.

Our plan was to stay out at Joan Myers… Continue

Added by elderbob Brannan on April 9, 2007 at 6:43am — No Comments

What are friends for?

I came to Classroom 2.0 without any idea about how things really worked. Even though I've been on Linked In for a while and I sort of knew about the whole friends thing on MySpace, I hadn't experienced it myself.

What I've seen people post so far is that it's a tool to gain visibility, a competition for attention and/or a way to deal with larger crowds. (sorry I don't have the energy to link to these ideas or properly credit them!)

However, none of those things really applies… Continue

Added by Sylvia Martinez on April 9, 2007 at 12:27am — 5 Comments

An Easter/Passover Thought!!

Many of my current colleagues don't know that I have a B.A. in Talmud and Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. At one time I thought very seriously about becoming a rabbi. (Actually the word rabbi means teacher.) Though I'm no longer ritually observant, I still very much enjoy thinking about religious ideas.

So, on this day that is sacred to multiple both Judaism and Christianity, I want to ask three questions:

1. What does the word freedom mean?

2. What… Continue

Added by Andrew Pass on April 8, 2007 at 2:21pm — 1 Comment