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Blog: Ed Tech Today

Expert Advice

The conversation went something like this:

Student:

So how is nuclear energy used in everyday life?

Expert:

Have you ever had an X-Ray taken?

Student

My sister has.

Expert:

Well~ that radiation~ thats a form of nuclear energy.

Student:

Oh~ O.K.

The above interview took place recently between one of my fifth-grade students and a researcher at the University of South Florida. The student~ part of the gifted program at the...

Blog: Ed Tech Today

Think Twice Before Sharing Election...

Truman DeweyThe folks at All Things D are issuing a warning to those who may be quick on the social media trigger.

The site warns of spurious--or outright fake--posts that are expected to be put out in an effor to dissuade voters. As results come in, but...

Blog: Ed Tech Today

A True Test

A True Test

What is a true measure of our students success?

In this world of standardized testing~ does our current system of evaluation in education mirror the real world~ where students will spend the rest of their lives working and striving for success?

To arrive at an answer~ I think we have to look closer at what is expected in the work environment. Where in the workplace is success measured by how many facts you can memorize or whether you can pass a standardized test...

Blog: Ed Tech Today

School Funding: State Policies and...

Election Day is just around the corner, and as voters go to the polls to cast their ballots, in many states, they vote on more than just candidates. Most voters will have several ballot referendums to vote yay or nay on, and the consequences of those decisions influence policy. Take as one example the recent vote on gay marriage in the state of North Carolina. It is no different with ballot referendums on public school funding. This fall, five states have some such type of ballot initiative...

Blog: Ed Tech Today

Book Review: Digital Storytelling Guide...

Title: Digital Storytelling Guide for Educators~ by Midge Frazel. ISTE~ 2010.

 

Description: Midge Frazel brings the craft of storytelling to today's classrooms with her Web 2.0 walk-through Digital Storytelling Guide for Educators. The title helps teachers support students as they use current technologies to build the skills they'll need to conquer multimedia presentations in college and eventually~ the workforce.

...

Blog: Ed Tech Today

Good Grief~ Charlie Brown!

Should the annual classic~ It's the Great Pumpkin~ Charlie Brown~" be shelved? Does it advocate... bullying? That's the thought of Buzz Bishop. The father thinks a television program that has kids calling each other words like dumb~ blockhead and stupid is wrong. Bishop feels that the classic television program~which first aired on October 27~ 1966~ shows young kids that it's OK to taunt others. What do you think~ does Buzz Bishop have a point? Could watching~ It's the Great Pumpkin~ Charlie...

Blog: Ed Tech Today

Worst Passwords Revealed

Every year, the folks at SplashData release a list of the worst, most ineffective, potentially dangerous passwords employed by people to "protect" their various technological properties. These are considered the bottom of the barrel and are as bad as not password protecting at all.

SplashData's list of the worst...

Blog: Ed Tech Today

Building Interest

When it comes to teaching~ often times~ I think we have it backwards.

We think that the students are expected to sit there and be interested in what we teach them. They are supposed to fall in love with our curriculum and become engaged.

I remember when teaching middle school~ how fellow teachers would complain about their kids not be interested (which naturally led to behavior problems and headaches). While still a novice to the profession~ I instinctively knew I had to do...

Blog: Ed Tech Today

Banning Homework? What do you think?

France's President Francois Hollande has announced he'd like to ban it in France.Why the ban? Hollande doesn't think it is fair that some kids have parents that help them with homework and others do not. Kids in France currently go to school Monday~ Tuesday~ Thursday and Friday(usually 8:30-4:30). President Hollande would like to add half day classes on Wednesday. He'd require time at the end of the school day for students to do their homework assignments in school.What do you think of this...

Blog: Ed Tech Today

Start the Press!

Do you want to make a student or the whole class feel like a rock star?

Just get them some press.

Kids love to see themselves in the newspaper. I guess it strikes a basic need to be recognized, but it seems just about every child gets really excited when a reporter and photographer show up to the class.

Not to mention, learning to attract good press can also help teachers with fundraising efforts and other causes.

As a former news reporter, who covered the...

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