Making things… Learning Things
"I am convinced that the best learning takes place when the learner takes charge…" –Seymour Papert
During the summer of 2016, I read this book (left) edited by Yasmin Kafai and Mitch Resnick. I was inspired by Chapter 4 (called Learning Design by Making Games). In it, Kafai described her study in which a group of 4th grade students spent one hour per day (over a six-month period) writing, designing and... Continue Reading →
Our board is making its way through the first year of a standing, open-invitation to all students and teachers to BYOD--bring your own device--to school and use it for teaching and learning (also known as BYOT--bring your own technology). Schools are very complex environments and it will take time for personal device use to become... Continue Reading →
Even with device neutral assignments or web-based creation or collaboration tools, students in #BYOD friendly schools might still be looking for app suggestions to match the particular learning task they are engaged in. There are some incredibly detailed resources available, such as Allan Carrington's "padagogy" wheel. But, if you are looking for something a little... Continue Reading →
It is old news that teaching with technology is not "about the technology" but more "normalizing the technology" so that it is an integrated part of day-to-day learning for students. BYOD is currently an initiative in many school districts but it is really just the name given for the catch up period for schools. I... Continue Reading →
As you are probably aware, a WebQuest is an online, project-based learning activity in which students actively participate in authentic tasks based on web resources using web 2.0 tools. A WebQuest exploits inquiry-oriented learning in which students are not only finding information but also using information to create new knowledge, learn new skills, and explore... Continue Reading →
[Updated: March, 2013] With every new iOS release, Apple is building in more and more under the hood. You are probably aware of many of these features but, in any case, here is a brief roundup of some that teachers whom I work with have found very useful, especially in a one-iPad classroom. The features outlined... Continue Reading →
For many years, board owned computers have been used in schools and usually they are locked down. In other words, they come with a pre-selected set of applications for students and teachers to use in their daily work of learning and teaching… and that’s it. Special software is usually installed to prevent new software installations... Continue Reading →
Making things... Learning Things 