Computer note-taking was a point of contention at my school. Almost every teacher used laptops. But we varied in how much we allowed students to take notes on them during class. Those in the no-computer-notes camp pointed to how often students were distracted by messaging and social media. Those who allowed laptops for notes argued that…
With all due respect, this is what I call Edutech Shiny Toy Syndrome. And it is out of control. Kids don’t need screens for individualized educational experiences. They are already on those stultifying, addictive, isolating screens far too much. Bah! Humbug! Source: Silicon Valley’s Schools Program — Students Are an Afterthought | National Review I don’t…
…Both Reader Rabbitand Cluefinders were the work of The Learning Company (TLC), a dominant player in the realm of educational software during its peak in the late 1980s and ’90s. At a certain point, TLC owned pretty much every computer game that mattered to millennials: The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, even Oregon Trail….
Multimedia technologies penetrate into various spheres of educational activity. The spread of innovations is facilitated by external factors associated with the ubiquitous informatization of society and the need for appropriate preparation of schoolchildren, as well as by internal factors related to the popularization of modern computer equipment and software in schools, the adoption of state…
Mike Crowley (International School of Brussels) was part of the throng at ISTE ’18, but what he saw caused him to declare the death of ed tech. The particular feature that pushed him over the edge was Google Forms Locked Mode. This will only be available on school-managed chromebooks, but it does address one of…
Source: Free Technology Curriculum from Google – Applied Digital Skills Applied Digital Skills is a free website by Google that offers technology lessons for staff and students (middle school and older). There are tons of lessons available online to help you or your students learn new skills. When I use online lessons like this, I…
A 2015 study found that 65% of student licenses for education technology products go unused, and you don’t have to look far to find examples of technology implementation disasters. EdTech purchases going to waste is often the result of multiple factors, and the consequences impact all stakeholders: school systems that waste precious budgets, EdTech companies that…
Now, thanks to education technology, scavenger hunts have been given a whole new makeover – here are 5 updated ideas for how to implement them in the 21st century classroom! Source: 5 Brilliant Ideas for #EdTech Scavenger Hunts Some great links to ideas on running a scavenger hunt, two of which doesn’t require the teacher…
In a world dominated by technology, a good education depends on digital know-how—in addition to problem solving, clear communication and organizational skills. Students need both digital and soft skills to guide them through college, into the workplace and beyond. In my five years on the job, here’s what I’ve learned about teaching a generation of…
A few months ago, I noticed an increased amount of discussion around the notion of blended learning. Many of these conversations started on a similar note: “We’re blended—all of our teachers use Google Classroom” (or Edmodo, Schoology, Canvas, Moodle, etc.). However, in probing further, I often discovered that these tools had merely digitized existing content…