Posts Tagged "featured"
Location-Based Group Texting: Academic Gain or Academic Dishonesty?
If you haven’t yet seen it, Yobongo is a stunning location-based group texting tool that could enhance collaboration within any learning environment. But, depending on its implementation, the benefit of an instant PLN could give way to academic dishonesty.
To help you draw your own conclusions, check out the video below to see Yobongo in action:
Read More5 Innovative iPad Apps That Will Evolve Your Classroom
As a teacher, I enjoy looking for new ways to engage students. Some methods employed may be novel; I know their effectiveness will wear off over time. Other methods are structured around solid principles of learning and have lasting value. Striking a balance amongst both novel and lasting methods helps establish an evolving, engaging and enriched classroom experience.
Below are 5 iPad apps that capture this experience and enhance the teaching and learning experience across all content areas.
1. Garage Band
Read MoreConverting Liabilities to Assets: First, Consider the Growth Potential
Have we adopted a fragmented view of what separates a liability from an asset? I believe many sectors of industry have, which has led to inadvertent confusion within our culture. The definitions of both are commonly restricted to strictly financial terms; this is somewhat of a misnomer.
In the financial world, an asset is typically defined as something that retains or develops monetary value. Common examples include homes and land. Liabilities are labeled as anything that depreciates in value; vehicles and electronics fall within this category.
Isolating these terms to concrete definitions may lead to skewed decision-making. In this post, I’m specifically referencing decisions involving the purchase of “liabilities.”
When purchasing a “liability,” you need to ultimately consider the professional or personal value your purchase is making towards your development or your organization. Of course, cost is important, but I believe it should be secondary to considering the “growth potential” of your purchase.
For example:
Read MoreSpringing Forward & Looking Back: Best of Winter, K12 Mobile Learning
Spring-like weather has already hit Texas! As we “spring forward,” consider looking back at the best of K12 Mobile Learning, winter 2011.
Below represent the top ten posts from quarter one of 2011, based on the number of views. Feel free to leave your comments at the end this post, on any of the respective posts listed here, or on the K12 Mobile Learning Facebook page.
Read MorePreparing Kids for a Future that Doesn’t Exist: You Can’t Eat Chicken With a Spoon
How well are we “preparing our kids for a future that doesn’t exist?”
Facebook, Twitter and iPods weren’t in existence at the advent of the 21st century. iPads weren’t a reality until 2010 – not even a full year ago. Skype was still being dreamt up by developers and wasn’t released to the public until 2003.
In just a few short years, these products and services (amongst others) have redefined the way we communicate and interact from both a local and global perspective. Take a few more sets of “a few short years,” and we’ll be reinventing society… again. It’s happened with every generation, and every generation thinks otherwise. If you’re skeptical, reflect on the last 100 years alone and consider how rapidly we’ve exponentially altered the course of our day-to-day interactions and activities as a result of the new tools (calculators, television, computers, Internet, etc.) and services available for mass consumption.
I like to think of it in terms of forks and spoons. Earlier this evening, I attempted to eat a “well-cooked” leftover chicken breast that my wife prepared. We were out of forks, so I tried to eat it with the only utensil I had: a spoon. Needless to say, it was a silly idea and I didn’t get too far. The bottom line, though, is that I wanted food in my mouth and I was determined to get it. While I was able to consume a small portion of food with the spoon, it was messy, inefficient, and left me feeling frustrated.
Why?
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