Articles Tagged With: Technology in the Classroom
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Awesome Infographic Tools for Teachers
image from iStock
Infographics seem to be everywhere—and if you are on Pinterest as often as I am, then you have most likely seen them peppering your home page too. We (Pearson K-12 Technology) have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to awesome infographics that I love to check out every once in awhile.The description under the board says, “Information graphics (or what are better-known as infographics) are visual representations of information. In short, they make learning more fun!”
I agree with the last part—that they have the ability to make learning …
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Four Video Projects for Your Classroom
Educators are always looking for new ways to energize their classroom while enhancing their students’ learning experience. One way teachers can achieve this is by incorporating video projects into their curriculum. When constructed correctly, video projects can impart to students several different learning skills including writing, researching, producing, and revising.
Video projects can benefit teachers as well. Not only do teachers enjoy watching them, but they also provide a new medium that can be viewed by administrators and parents too. This is a unique way to showcase what students have …
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How to Flip the Younger Grade Level Classroom
At first glance, flipping the classroom seems only suitable for upper grade levels; however, it can also work for the younger grade levels too. The key difference between flipping the older versus the younger is the amount of supervision and assistance required. As you can probably assume, the younger-aged students will require more teacher or parent management, but don’t let this shy you away from trying it—it can be very effective and may be worth the extra time and effort.
image from iStock
Here is how you can successfully flip the younger … -
Six Advantages of Cloud Computing in Education
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There is a lot of buzz about cloud computing right now—in fact, it is said that within one year, cloud computing in K-12 schools is expected to consume a quarter of the entire IT budget; four years from now, that figure will grow to 35 percent. But what exactly is cloud computing and why are so many people using it?Simply put, cloud computing entails using a network of remote servers hosted on the internet as opposed to a local server. This helps cut IT costs as well as …
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Implementing a Successful 1:1 Learning Environment
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1:1 learning environments provide students with anywhere, anytime portable devices to enhance their learning experience. While this may seem like an inaccessible goal for some, the rise in mobile technology (iPod, smart phones, tablets, etc.) is making it much easier for classrooms and schools to access it.
In fact, many educators have even encouraged students to “bring-your-own-device” (BYOD) into the class to use for an assignment, which is one cost-effective way for schools to do 1:1 learning.
Chances are, you will use a 1:1 teaching method as some point. So … -
Technology Tool for the Classroom: Wordle
Wordle is a free tool that squeezes any section of text into a “word cloud.” The generated visual illustration highlights the most-used words in the text by increasing their size, and decreasing the less-frequent ones. You can also customize these clouds with various fonts, layouts, and color schemes.
image created from Wordle
I was first introduced to Wordle by a Professor at a University who had been using the tool with her undergraduate students. It instantly dawned on me that it would be perfect to use with K-12 students too. Here are …
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Tools for Online Brainstorming Sessions
Our brains often fall into stale patterns of thoughts and ideas. Typically, when I find myself in this trap, I turn to an in-depth session of brainstorming and discover that it quickly becomes my saving grace. To take it a step further, I will gather my colleagues to add a collaborative intellect to my brainstorming session, and I am always amazed at the originality that others add to the meeting.
Image from iStockUsing a paper and pen to brainstorm is always suitable, but I have found that it causes the process …
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Pinterest Resource Roundup for the Classroom
Pinterest was originally thought a place for fashion fanatics, cooking enthusiasts, and home designers to collect their creative ideas and photos in a single place on the Internet. However, it has found a bright spotlight in education and has become a major topic of conversation among educators and students. It even appears to have grown in popularity since our last post about Four Ways to Use Pinterest in Education!
Image from iStockNot only do I find the ideas shared in our post great, but I have also observed many other applications …
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Four Ways to Use Cell Phones in the Classroom
I’ll be the first to admit that I was once a skeptic about the use of cell phones for learning in the classroom. It wasn’t until I researched various methods and creative applications that I began accepting the idea. One of biggest quarrels I had with students using cell phones is the potential of their already-short attention spans becoming distracted by a device that is predominantly used in the “outside world.” But, I’ve come to the realization that students can theoretically become preoccupied by anything. Cell phones aren’t the only …
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Google Tools for Educators
Google remains a staple tool in my everyday tasks, and I realize more and more how much I rely on its use. In fact, it is safe to assume that majority feel this way, and that most of us turn to the Google search bar when we have a question or need a resource.
Image from iStockFor teachers, the Google search bar is commonly used to hunt down sites and downloads to use in lesson plans. However, it can begin to feel a bit daunting when trying to narrow it down …