I’m an idea guy. That is, I have a lot of ideas. As a teacher I would constantly improvise, come up with new projects, lesson ideas, tweaks to traditional assessments, and have an organic approach to learning in my classroom.
But they were still my ideas.
I was failing to value, foster, and spark ideas from my students. In fact, I would sometimes hurt their creativity and flow by moving on too quickly.
Are you a Chromebook user under the age of ten? While you may not be, quite a few students among the almost thirty million students in U.S. schools. Luckily, there are many Chrome add-ons which are age-appropriate for young learners. In this blog entry, we will explore a few common Chromebook apps. Source: Chromebook Apps for Young…
Developers at MIT Media Lab are gearing up to release a new version of Scratch that works on mobile devices, can be integrated with physical objects, and that is lighter and faster. Source: MIT’s Scratch Program Is Evolving For Greater, More Mobile Creativity | MindShift | KQED News The block programming of Scratch is used…
Is your kid getting straight A’s on homework lately? You might want to switch off Alexa. Last week, New Jersey mom Yerelyn Cueva, 24, posted a short clip on Twitter of her son doing his math homework at their kitchen table. In the 11-second video, 6-year-old Jariel asks, “Alexa, what’s 5 minus 3?” The…
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a test that uses children’s ability to assemble LEGO pieces to assess their spatial visualization ability. Spatial visualization is the ability to visualize 3D shapes in one’s mind, which is tied to increased GPAs and graduation rates in STEM college students. Source: Using LEGO to…
Today’s digest revisits the idea of inquiry methods. Why? Because a quick Google search resulted in the very clear impression that many instructors still believe (or at least blog about) the idea that students learn more when they discover new knowledge on their own, without being explicitly taught. Given this apparent pervasive belief, we share here a…
The technology industry is now trying to figure out a way to attack its cultural and demographic homogeneity issues. One simple initiative is to begin to recruit talent from people outside of its preferred networks. One way is to extend their recruiting efforts to people who don’t have four-year degrees. Source: Why More Tech Companies Are…
