DOCSLIB.ORG

Flat Classroom® Projects

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Flat Classroom® Projects LEARNINGconnections Multidisciplinary 28, 32, 34 • Performing Arts 31 • Language Arts 35 Flat Classrooms By Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis n November 2006, we eliminated the walls of our high school class- Irooms. We embarked to create a joint semester assessment to analyze the trends of information technology and ended up on a journey into excel- lence and into the very future of edu- cation itself. This wiki-centric collaboration, aptly named the Flat Classroom Project, an- alyzed the 10 societal trends from The World is Flat by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas Friedman. Not only did this project win the 2006 Interna- Screenshot from the Virtual Communication team's award-winning Flat Classroom video. tional Edublog Award for best wiki in education, but Friedman followed the a video including footage “outsourced” One of the most exciting things, project development with much inter- from the partner. To start the project, however, happened at the conclusion est and awarded signed copies of his every student posted a podcast intro- of the project, when expert judges book as prizes. Students formed bonds duction. We intentionally chose voice Jeff Utecht (China), Terry Freedman with those very unlike themselves, and communications to prevent students (United Kingdom), Jo McLeay (Aus- our objectives were far exceeded. from having preconceived notions tralia), and Darren Kuropatwa (Can- about each other. ada) judged the wikis, and presented Why Did We Flatten Our Classrooms? After “meeting” their partners, stu- awards for best wiki and best video. We wanted to challenge our students dents planned their topic using asyn- Additionally, they advised us on how to have a deeper understanding of the chronous tools such as the discussion to make such a project more scalable effect of information technology on tabs on the wiki pages, MySpace, and and more effective based on the most our world. We wanted our students e-mail, and synchronous tools such as current educational research. to not only study the flatteners but to Skype and instant messaging. This level literally experience them. This influ- of student autonomy had its difficul- Embedding Social Learning enced not only the questions we asked, ties—students who were absent or slow This project has reinforced our belief but also the Internet tools they were to communicate would frustrate their that learning takes place in many dif- asked to use as they interacted. For overseas partner. As teachers, we had to ferent ways, times, and places. It also this project, we created classroom- monitor this closely and adjust groups shows us that the single-classroom specific, criterion-based rubrics to al- so that project deadlines could be met research that emphasizes the effective- low each classroom to assess this as its and we could be fair to everyone. ness of collaborative learning, genuine cumulative end-of-semester project. This project had all of the real-life assessment, and project-based learning flavors of a genuine job assignment or can occur when students have partners How Did We Flatten Our Classrooms? major post-secondary school project that are never in class at the same time. Using a joint wiki, we paired students with deadlines, accountability, and inter- Additionally, social learning research with a global partner to explain the dependence. One student said that this has shown us that the sociability of on- trend, give their viewpoints, and create project “made me more professional.” line learning combined with interac- Copyright © 2007, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), [email protected], www.iste.org. All rights reserved. 28 Learning & Leading with Technology | August 2007 LEARNING CONNECTIONS | Multidisciplinary Flat Classroom Students Speak Out 1890 DUNCAN / COM . HOTO P TOCK S I © Student opinions on these trends are very “Although we did know what blogging was “Web 2.0 is a term often applied to a per- direct, opinionated, and sometimes surprising. a few years back, it was seen just as a site ceived ongoing transition of the World Wide Find the entire wiki at http://flatclassroom where teens go to meet new people online. Web from a collection of websites to a full- project.wikispaces.com. But things have changed and now more fledged computing platform serving web ap- people encourage blogging as it enhances plications to end users. Ultimately Web 2.0 “Being able to access the Internet and the learning ... helps them to establish communi- services are expected to replace desktop WWW has greatly impacted business and cation with others so as to share information, computing applications for many purposes.” is continuing to revolutionize industry in our knowledge and resources.” “In some of the schools it is said that these world. In agriculture alone we now have “Blogging has cost bloggers their jobs be- communicative softwares are blocked and satellite-guided tractors, computer controlled cause they talk about confidential information not permitted in the school premises, but the chicken houses, and our cars even tell us about their work place....However, blogging question arises, is it fair on the students as whats wrong with them.” can also be very useful in the work place...to well as the teachers or are we still sticking with learn about other businesses around the world our old school methods?” —Naimul (Bangladesh), Tyler (U.S.), and find out new ideas that could improve Connecting the World Online your business.” —Shakila (Bangladesh), Matt (U.S.), Why We Should Be Promoting Web 2.0 “The impact of the World Wide Web on educa- —Sanjida and Sabbab (Bangladesh), tion is immense. Imagining life nowadays with- Jordan and Kristy (U.S.), “Tools for Sharing Information “Outsourc- out the web is impossible. In the past, people The Changing Shape of Information: ing started in the 1980s....[It] is when we had to find information through books...waste PLEs and Social Networking use labor or components from outside sup- hours and hours of time sitting in the library..... pliers...Most computer companies do not But nowadays, the information comes straight “A company with work flow software does not manufacture all the components used to to our computer or laptop with the help of the have to rely on one set of employees from one assemble their computers, instead they de- WWW.” country instead they can use employees all pend on components for other companies over the world because of the time zones. If a for parts or hardware such as hard drive, —Salvi (Bangladesh), Trey (U.S.), major tragedy happened in the United States cd-rom drive, etc. U.S. computer compa- How the World Wide Web Changed the World the companies with work flow software could nies have established manufacturing and rely on their employees in other time zones development in countries such as India, “Laptops, handhelds, wireless internet, to keep the company making and producing Malaysia, Thailand, and Mexico, this is where and many more devices help educators product.” labor is inexpensive but of good quality.” and learners have an easier time in school. If we look at some schools over the world that —Adnan (Bangladesh), Drew and Ty (U.S.), —Salma (Bangladesh) and Katie (U.S.), have these technology in school then we can Work Flow Software Globalization and Outsourcing see that the students are quite successful as they are walking around with these devices all “When schools are closed due to political “Recently Google has shown an interest in day, and they have all their work in one place. situations (as they are sometimes in Dhaka, Open Source, and it’s stated in an article that it As a matter of fact I am sitting in an area in Bangladesh), online tutoring companies, such will soon be the “Godfather” of Open Source... front of the school garden and writing this as Tutor.com, allow students and online tutors Google is currently more than just a search now.” to communicate. It is effective because it is engine; it has become part of our daily lives. It faster for people to communicate and respond is used by over a billion (1,000, 000,000) us- —Salmaan (Bangladesh), Andrew S. (U.S.), to one another.” ers daily from around the world.” Mobile and Ubiquitous Computing —Cannelle (Bangladesh), Casey (U.S.), —Omar (Bangladesh) and Andrew G. (U.S.), Virtual Communications Google Takes Over the World Copyright © 2007, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), [email protected], www.iste.org. All rights reserved. August 2007 | Learning & Leading with Technology 29 | LEARNING CONNECTIONS tion can help promote understanding. 1. A unified assessment rubric that expert reviewers, class peer review It was not two classrooms working more adequately reflects the tasks from around the world, and a student independently; it was one classroom and the promotion of higher-level presentation summit in Elluminate. with two teachers who just happened thinking. to be on opposite sides of the world. 2. A simplified judging/feedback Resources system that integrates peer feed- 123 eLearning, Julie’s blog: http://123elearning. Focusing on the Students back and spreads out judging. blogspot.com Student outcomes from this type of Cool Cat Teacher, Vicki’s blog: http://coolcat 3. Initiating communication that teacher.blogspot.com project are often unpredictable. All involves a cultural exchange be- Flat Classroom Alignment with NETS Stan- the planning and organization in the tween global partners early in the dards Video: http://video.google.com/videop world (literally) cannot force two or project. lay?docid=1655320378680486235&hl=en more individuals to get along and meld Flat Classroom judging wiki: http://flatclass Classrooms can be flattened as into a cohesive and collaborative team.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Practical Experience in Teaching Inventory Management with Edublogs
    doi:10.3926/jiem.2011.v4n1.p103-122 JIEM, 2011 – 4(1): 103-122 – Online ISSN: 2013-0953 Print ISSN: 2013-8423 Practical experience in teaching inventory management with Edublogs Julio J. Garcia-Sabater1, Pilar I. Vidal-Carreras1, Cristina Santandreu-Mascarell2, Mª Rosario Perello-Marin3 1ROGLE. Dpto. Organización de Empresas, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (SPAIN); 2IGIC. Dpto. Organización de Empresas, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (SPAIN); 3Dpto. Organización de Empresas, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (SPAIN) [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Received December 2010 Accepted March 2011 Abstract: Purpose: The aim of this paper is to analyze the utility of edublogs in teaching- learning process applied to postgraduate Courses. Particularly, it describes an experience carried out while delivering a Course offered to students, mainly Industrial Engineers, of a certain Master program. Design/methodology/approach: In the first section of the paper, we perform a literature review with the aim of defining some basic concepts as blog, weblog or edublog. Later on, we compare some educational models to identify best practices related to new technologies, and particularly, to edublogs. Finally, we analyze our experience in a postgraduate Course. Findings and Originality/value: We have identified best practices on teaching using edublogs and we have applied them to a particular postgraduate Course. Research limitations/implications: Conclusions are obtained from only one experience (one postgraduate Course). We intend to extend the analysis to more postgraduate Courses and compare the obtained results. Practical implications: We have applied the previously described methodology and we have discussed advantages and disadvantages of using edublogs.
    [Show full text]
  • DOLLAR-DISSERTATION-2018.Pdf (4.659Mb)
    REFLECTIONS OF THE HEART: AN AUTOETHNOGRAPHY OF A LITERACY LEADER’S ONLINE IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION AND CHANGE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF READING COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION BY TAMRA R. DOLLAR, B.A., M.ED. DENTON, TEXAS AUGUST 2018 Copyright © 2018 by Tamra R. Dollar DEDICATION To my life partner and best friend, Michael T. Dollar You told me I could, so I did. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I feel privileged to express my eternal gratitude to the people who were directly involved in my doctoral journey. First of all, I would like to thank my advisor and exemplary Chair, Dr. Patricia (Pat) Watson, for whom I am forever indebted. She walked beside me and would gently nudge me when I would get “stuck in the weeds.” Dr. Watson affirmed my creative ways of thinking while at the same time helped me to stay grounded. I aspire to be the kind of professor and mentor to others just as Dr. Watson has been to me. I am extremely grateful to the members of my Dissertation Committee: to Dr. Amy Burke for her enthusiasm and great advice that helped me to best articulate my methodology and epistemological stance; to Dr. Claudia Haag for her ongoing encouragement, genuine care and unwavering support through all of my trials and triumphs; and to Dr. Teresa Starrett for her benevolence and guidance throughout the process. I want to express my sincere thanks to all of my professors at Texas Woman’s University, who guided and assisted me on my doctoral journey to reach this milestone in my life.
    [Show full text]
  • Practical Experience in Teaching Inventory Management with Edublogs
    A Service of Leibniz-Informationszentrum econstor Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre Make Your Publications Visible. zbw for Economics Garcia-Sabater, Julio J.; Vidal-Carreras, Pilar I.; Santandreu, Cristina; Perello- Marin, Rosario Article Practical experience in teaching inventory management with edublogs Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management (JIEM) Provided in Cooperation with: The School of Industrial, Aerospace and Audiovisual Engineering of Terrassa (ESEIAAT), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) Suggested Citation: Garcia-Sabater, Julio J.; Vidal-Carreras, Pilar I.; Santandreu, Cristina; Perello-Marin, Rosario (2011) : Practical experience in teaching inventory management with edublogs, Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management (JIEM), ISSN 2013-0953, OmniaScience, Barcelona, Vol. 4, Iss. 1, pp. 103-122, http://dx.doi.org/10.3926/jiem.v4n1.p103-122 This Version is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/188445 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Documents in EconStor may be saved and copied for your Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. personal and scholarly purposes. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle You are not to copy documents for public or commercial Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich purposes, to exhibit the documents publicly, to make them machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. publicly available on the internet, or to distribute or otherwise use the documents in public. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, If the documents have been made available under an Open gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort Content Licence (especially Creative Commons Licences), you genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte.
    [Show full text]
  • Hopkinsdavid's Tweet Book
    hopkinsdavid's Tweet Book By David Hopkins. hopkinsdavid David Hopkins eLearning, mLeaning, Web 2.0, Game-based learning, Blogging, WordPress, Blackboard, Technology, CMALT, etc - Learning Technologist, the Business School, BU Bournemouth, UK http://www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk All content © David Hopkins. All rights reserved. 2009 September Monday, 21st of September. 18:48:42 Blogged: Reflection: Learning Technologies 2009 http://bit.ly/16HvYz 19:02:10 Sorry Sorry Sorry!! #ihatehackers 19:06:13 Damn ... 320 emails sent to each blog subscriber! I think I'm off their Christmas Card list. Sorry folks. 19:07:11 Watch number of followers drop after blog fiasco ... down we go #fail 19:50:53 Blogged: An apology from Don't Waste Your Time (and me!) http://bit.ly/109rWh Tuesday, 22nd of September. 07:53:44 OK, going for broke - deleting everything and re-installing wordpress, then import all posts, comments, plugins, etc. Finger's crossed 08:57:04 RT @esolcourses @grahamstanley amazing tool showing publicly available information about people on the Web : http://tinyurl.com/m526t3 09:03:57 RT @esolcourses @russeltarr: Nine Reasons to Twitter in Schools: http://tinyurl.com/o2owoe 09:06:53 Students and innovative assessment http://bit.ly/DKU4l 09:13:25 RT @sharonlflynn @mattlingard @anthonymcneill draft Twitter in HE report - RTs and comments welcome http://bit.ly/UrS9U 09:26:18 Dr. Karen Clegg; "Innovative Approaches to Assessment" http://bit.ly/eb41c 11:35:48 blog down, reinstall in progress ... #ihopethisworks 12:59:04 Blog back, all working ... but lost polls (plus archive) and some images. Loads of work to look through and sort ..
    [Show full text]
  • Integrating Edublog in the Teaching of Narrative Writing in Primary School (Integrasi Edublog Di Dalam Pengajaran Penulisan Naratif Di Sekolah Rendah)
    Jurnal Pendidikan Malaysia 45(1) Isu Khas (2020): 75-85 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/JPEN-2020-45.01SI-10 Integrating EduBlog in the Teaching of Narrative Writing in Primary School (Integrasi EduBlog di dalam Pengajaran Penulisan Naratif di Sekolah Rendah) NUR NADIYA BAHARUDDIN* & MASLAWATI MOHAMAD ABSTRACT The Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 aims to optimize the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in enhancing teaching and learning (T&L). Edublogs could be a useful platform that can facilitate the T&L of English. This case study explored the effects of the teaching of English narrative writing using Edublogs on pupils’ achievement in narrative writing in terms of content, vocabulary, and grammar. Eight Year 6 pupils were purposely selected as participants. Data was collected using focus group interviews, observation, and tests. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and document analysis. Findings show that learning narrative writing using Edublogs significantly improved the pupils’ ability to generate better content and improved the pupils’ vocabulary development and retention. However, the pupils were found to show no significant improvement in terms of grammar. The findings implicate that Edublogs can help in providing a meaningful T&L of language in the 21st century learning environment. It is suggested that future similar research using other digital applications and tools to be done with other language skills namely, reading, speaking, or listening. In addition, a longer duration of the similar study could also be considered in order to allow the natural course of learning to take place for grammar competence. Keywords: primary school, narrative writing, Edublogs, blogging, English as a second language ABSTRAK Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia 2013-2025 bermatlamat untuk mengoptimumkan penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi (ICT) dalam mengayakan pengajaran dan pembelajaran (PdP).
    [Show full text]
  • Teaching and Learning (2009) 5(1), 1-12
    Teaching and Learning (2009) 5(1), 1-12 Engaging 21st Century Learners and Differentiating Instruction with Technology DR. CANDACE FIGG Brock University DR. KAMINI JAIPAL Brock University Abstract Engagement is the key to student learning. Using activities that are relevant and differentiated for 21st century students includes using activities that incorporate technology tools that are a part of their everyday digital lives. The integration of digital technologies into teaching practices requires teachers to acquire new strategies and activities for differentiating instruction for 21st century learners. This paper highlights how technology can be used for differentiated instruction, and describes six specific technologically-enhanced activities that are appropriate authentic uses of technology for differentiating instruction. Introduction The integration of digital technologies into teaching practices provides teachers with new strategies and activities for differentiating instruction for 21st century learners. Prensky (2005) describes 21st century learners as having an easy familiarity with: new systems for communicating (instant messaging), sharing (blogs), buying and selling (eBay), exchanging (peer-to-peer technology), creating (Flash), meeting (3D worlds), collecting (downloads), coordinating (wikis), evaluating (reputation systems), searching (Google analyzing [SETI]), reporting (camera phones), programming (modeling), socializing (chat rooms), and even learning (Web surfing) (p. 10). Having this skill set, these learners find instruction
    [Show full text]
  • Weblogs and Writing Instruction in the High School Classroom Marilyn V
    Nova Southeastern University NSUWorks CEC Theses and Dissertations College of Engineering and Computing 2007 Painting the Voice: Weblogs and Writing Instruction in the High School Classroom Marilyn V. Olander Nova Southeastern University, [email protected] This document is a product of extensive research conducted at the Nova Southeastern University College of Engineering and Computing. For more information on research and degree programs at the NSU College of Engineering and Computing, please click here. Follow this and additional works at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd Part of the Computer Sciences Commons Share Feedback About This Item NSUWorks Citation Marilyn V. Olander. 2007. Painting the Voice: Weblogs and Writing Instruction in the High School Classroom. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences. (757) https://nsuworks.nova.edu/gscis_etd/757. This Dissertation is brought to you by the College of Engineering and Computing at NSUWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in CEC Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of NSUWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Painting the Voice: Weblogs and Writing Instruction in the High School Classroom by Marilyn V. Olander A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computing Technology in Education Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences Nova Southeastern University 2007 We hereby certify that this dissertation, submitted by Marilyn V. Olander, conforms to acceptable standards and is fully adequate in scope and quality to fulfill the dissertation requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. _________________________________________ ____________________ Gertrude W.
    [Show full text]
  • Index of /Sites/Default/Al Direct/2010/December
    AL Direct, December 1, 2010 Contents American Libraries Online ALA News Booklist Online San Diego Update Division News Round Table News Awards Seen Online Tech Talk The e-newsletter of the American Library Association | December 1, 2010 Publishing Actions & Answers New This Week Calendar American Libraries Online Chicago Public Library funding holds steady for 2011 Despite the rampant budget deficits facing municipal and state government all over Illinois, the Chicago Public Library has been allocated a 2011 budget that calls for no reductions. Ruth Lednicer, CPL director of marketing, contacted American Libraries November 29 “to let you know how happy we are to report that the Chicago city council’s 2011 budget leaves Chicago Public Library’s funding with no change from 2010.”... American Libraries news, Nov. 30 Booking to the future Jamie E. Helgren writes: “In response to a hot-button issue in the library profession nationwide, the Library Research Service, a unit of the Colorado State Library, conducted a survey to check current library professionals’ predictions for the future of the paper book. It’s probably no surprise that respondents thought the trend would be toward electronic formats. But for a variety of reasons, paper books refuse to die a quiet death. Overall, almost two out of three (63%) respondents claimed that paper books would never disappear.”... American Libraries feature Chicago vies with Hawaii for Obama presidential library Competition appears to be growing between universities hoping to become the site of Barack Obama’s presidential library. A working group at the University of Hawaii’s main campus in Honolulu is considering whether or not the university should make a formal bid.
    [Show full text]
  • Social Aspects of Web 2.0 Technologies: Teaching Or Teachers' Challenges?
    Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 15 (2011) 3768–3773 WCES 2011 Social aspects of web 2.0 technologies: teaching or teachers’ challenges? Elena Danciua, Gabriela Grosseckb * a,bUniversity of the West Timisoara, Faculty of Sociology and Psychology4 Bd Vasile Parvan, 300223 Timisoara, Romania Abstract University courses which examine the social aspects of Web 2.0 technologies should be available to all students enrolled either in socio-humanistic specializations or in computer science, management, engineering etc. Although there is a growing literature about the content and pedagogy of such courses in academia, there is little reference to content stressing the social impact of information technology and communications, and social media in particular, using teaching resources based on Web 2.0 technologies, tools, services and applications for collaboration, communication, information-sharing, on-line productivity, data organization, digital storytelling and other online social artifacts. This paper discusses some of the challenges which occur in the preparation and teaching courses about the social aspects of Web 2.0 and the ways to respond to them via pedagogical approaches that help students transform the social media universe in reflexive practice. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Keywords: social media, social aspects, teaching-learning, Web 2.0, higher education 1. Introduction With the emergence / increased use of Web 2.0 tools, a large number of higher education institutions are embracing
    [Show full text]
  • Delight and Travel
    Delight and Travel Dialogues in teaching and learning Wesley College St Kilda Rd October 10 2009 The chase John Brack http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/johnbrack/education/imagebank.html We may well ask of any item of information that is taught or that we lead a child to discover for himself whether it is worth knowing. I can think of only two good criteria and one middling one for deciding such an issue: whether the knowledge gives a sense of delight and whether it bestows the gift of intellectual travel beyond the information given in the sense of containing within it the basis of generalization. The middling criterion is whether the knowledge is useful. It turns out, on the whole, as Charles Sanders Pierce commented, that useful knowledge looks after itself. So I would urge that we as schoolmen let it do so and concentrate on the first two criteria. Delight and travel, then. Jerome Bruner (1979 ) Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press On Learning Mathematics in On Knowing: Essays for the left hand pp108- 109 Ithaka C. Cavafy (translated J. Mavrogordato) Setting out on the voyage to Ithaka You must pray that the way be long, Full of adventures and experiences. The Laistrygonians, and the Kyklopes, Angry Poseidon,—don’t be afraid of them; You will never find such things on your way, If only your thoughts be high and a select Emotion touch your spirit and your body. The Laistrygonians, the Kyklopes, Poseidon raging—you will never meet them, Unless you carry them with you in your soul, If your soul does not raise them up before you.
    [Show full text]
  • Curriculum 21: Essential Education for a Changing World
    EDUCATION curriculum Essential Education 21 for a Changing World curriculum Essential Education What year are you preparing your students for? 1973? 1995? Can you honestly for a Changing World say that your school’s curriculum and the program you use are preparing 21 your students for 2015 or 2020? Are you even preparing them for today? With those provocative questions, author and educator Heidi Hayes Jacobs launches a powerful case for overhauling, updating, and injecting life into the K–12 curriculum. Sharing her expertise as a world-renowned curriculum designer and calling upon the collective wisdom of 10 education thought leaders, Jacobs Curriculum provides insight and inspiration in the following key areas: • Contentandassessment—How to identify what to keep, what to cut, and what to create, and where portfolios and other new kinds of assessment fit into the picture. • Program structures—How to improve our use of time and space and groupings of students and staff. • Technology —How it’s transforming teaching, and how to take advantage of students’ natural facility with technology. • Media literacy—The essential issues to address, and the best resources for 21 helping students become informed users of multiple forms of media. • Globalization —What steps to take to help students gain a global perspective. • Sustainability —How to instill enduring values and beliefs that will lead to healthier local, national, and global communities. • Habits ofmind—The thinking habits that students, teachers, and administrators need to develop and practice to succeed in school, work, and life. Jacobs Curriculum 21 is the ideal guide for transforming our schools into what they must become: learning organizations that match the times in which we live.
    [Show full text]
  • The Effectiveness of Using Edublogs As an Instructional and Motivating
    ARTICLE https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00859-x OPEN The effectiveness of using edublogs as an instructional and motivating tool in the context of higher education ✉ José María Campillo-Ferrer 1 , Pedro Miralles-Martínez 1 & Raquel Sánchez-Ibáñez1 The aim of this research is to study the impact of blogs on improving self-reported motivation and learning in a higher education context. A quasi-experimental study was carried out in a 1234567890():,; social science core unit of the Primary Education degree at the University of Murcia, Spain. The study involved two groups of student teachers, with a total of 101 participants, who created their own blogs as a framework for exchanging their views and sharing their ideas on a variety of contemporary issues related to social science teaching. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests to measure whether the expected changes had occurred as a result of using this digital information platform. The results indicate that the use of blogs helped students to develop their digital literacy, to enhance their social and civic skills, and increase their self-perceived motivation. It is therefore worth updating the current commu- nication processes with regard to online learning with a view to promoting digital access to information and fostering a meaningful learning network through these web resources. 1 Faculty of Education, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain. ✉email: [email protected] HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS | (2021) 8:175 | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00859-x 1 ARTICLE HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00859-x Introduction n recent decades, the potential of information and commu- outcomes (Poore, 2013).
    [Show full text]