3,928 Matching Annotations
  1. Jul 2018
    1. but I believe that the word choice involved in identifying construction as opposed to creation is also of the utmost importance.

      I think word choice is always incredibly important--this is something we learn about playwrights in theatre. Each word is chosen for a specific purpose--as actors, that's why we should be word perfect and not paraphrase work.

    2. our understanding of construction and creation needs to be broad enough to allow for change in the future.

      This is especially important in today's world--as everything is constantly changing

    3. The ideas and concepts in all of this work does overlap sometimes

      I have definitely found this to be true throughout the course. I develop a lesson plan and I'm like wait I think that was more ORC than OCC.. or the other way around

    4. while making it easy & flexible enough for teachers to make this work happen in their classrooms.

      This seems to be essential for these skills to be developed in all schools--but educating teachers in these practices is essential, and making sure all schools have resources for students to create content online

    5. The ideas and concepts in all of this work does overlap sometimes…and students and teachers should feel empowered to move in, out, and between all of the concepts. Working online is a fluid experience which calls for flexible learners.

      I noticed this while writing my lesson lesson plans in this course. I kept stopping to make sure the lesson was ORC and not OCC or vice versa. I need to remind myself of the fluidity of this learning.

    1. When young people help to create content for the Internet -- when they experience being active participants, contributing to what there is online -- they are more likely to see the Internet as a resource that they understand and use effectively. By contrast, when people, especially the young and underrepresented, do not have a chance to experience the Internet as something they have a part in shaping, they miss out on being more closely connected to a wealth of resources, information, interaction, and opportunities for growth that can help them to cross over the digital divide.

      Great point- when students are guided in creating online content, they become more comfortable with using technology to propel them forward in their learning

    1. hese include remixing clips from movies to create “faux” trailers for hypothetical movies; setting remixed movie trailers to remixed music of choice that is synchronized to the visual action; recording a series of anime cartoons and then video-editing them in synchrony with a popular music track; mixing “found” images with original images in order to express a theme or idea (with or without text added); and mixing images, animations and texts to create cartoons or satirical posters (including political cartoons and animations), to name just a few type

      Good ideas for the classroom on ways of remixing

    1. "Our frame is a social semiotic theory, and we ask, ' What exactly is the relation between the semiotic designs of multi modal learning resources..."

      • Looking at the way texts have changed through the centuries
    1. We live during a time in which new technologies continuously appear online, requiring additional skills to effectively read, write, and learn, sometimes on a daily basis.

      This is why teacher's allowing their students to access this information with little regulation is so important. Students need to learn for themselves how to interact and face the challenges of new technology, with teachers there to guide them.

    2. (1) reading to identify important questions, (2) reading to locate information, (3) reading to evaluate information criti-cally, (4) reading to synthesize information, and (5) reading and writing to communicate information.

      The 5 processing practices that occur during online research and comprehension

    3. Some believe there is little to teach; our students are already “digital natives,” skilled in online literacies

      Although kids these days are well aware of how to navigate the internet/ technology, it is often obvious that students are not "digital natives" in areas such as research and comprehension. This is why it is so important that as future educators we deliberately teach online reading and research skills to our students. This will only open a whole new door of possibilities in regards to student success with both online reading comprehension and integration of technology in their daily studies.

    4. Most importantly, it is reshap-ing the nature of literacy education, providing us with many new and exciting opportunities for our classrooms

      It's crazy how many opportunities technology/ internet provide! Allowing us to collaborate with peers, improving our reading & researching skills as well as being able to learn on our own outside of the classroom

    5. Someone reading this standard with a lens to the past would interpret it by teaching point of view within narratives, engaging students in discussions about the point of view held by different characters. Some-one reading this standard with a lens to the future would interpret it by teaching point of view in relation to the evaluation of a website’s reliabil-ity, where point of view is one of several important elements to consider when evaluating the reliability of information that is found online

      I like how they include an example of interpreting a standard with a "lens to the future" by incorporating digital skills in current standards.

    6. most of our prior knowledge about reading is derived from an under-standing of reading in offline contexts, the U.S. standards are likely to be interpreted in relation to offline reading comprehension, not online reading comprehension. Another way of looking at this issue is to suggest that many educators will read the CCSS only with a lens to our past, and not a lens to our future, failing to include instruction in important online reading skills.

      I agree that standards reflect reading skills and comprehension offline.

    7. Most importantly, how we adapt to a dynamic definition of literacy in the classroom will define our students’ future.

      I really like this statement. How teachers adapt to the evolving digital literacy skills influences how our students interact online in the future.

    8. These changes will require each of us to always have one lens turned to the future so that we might continuously learn about even newer online tools that we can use in our classrooms, preparing our students for their future.

      This can only be achieved by constantly integrating technology into your curriculum.

    9. As new technologies appear on the Internet, new literacies and new opportunities for instruction appear (International Reading Association, 2009).

      Just like education new technologies and literacies are ever changing.

    10. One of the most consistent patterns in reading research is the finding that the prior knowl-edge we bring to a text profoundly shapes our interpretation.

      This does not change either it is digital or not.

    11. Teachers become more important, though their role changes, within new literacy classrooms. (p

      I feel that teachers are expected to be ever changing and constantly modify their classrooms for this technology.

    12. In short, online reading compre-hension is online research. Second, online reading also becomes tightly integrated with writing as we communicate with others to learn more about the questions we explore and as we communicate our own inter-pretations. A third difference is that new technologies such as browsers, search engines, wikis, blogs, e-mail, and many others are required. Addi-tional skills and strategies are needed to use each of these technologies effectively. Keyword entry in a search engine

      Literacy is not just simply knowing how to read and write, but requires understanding.

    13. Some believe there is little to teach; our students are already “digital natives,” skilled in online literacies (Prensky, 2001). It is true that today’s students have grown up in an online world and are developing profi-ciency with gaming, social networking, video, and texting (Alvermann, Hutchins, & DeBlasio, 2012; Zickuhr, 2010). However, this does not nec-essarily mean they are skilled in the effective use of online information, perhaps the most important aspect of the Internet. Studies show that stu-dents lack critical evaluation skills when reading online (Bennet, Maton, & Kervin, 2008; Forzani & Maykel, 2013; Graham & Metaxas, 2003) and that they are not especially skilled with reading to locate information online (Kuiper & Volman, 2008).

      Many students tend to use the Internet quite naturally, but lack adequate search skills, as well as, necessary skills to critically evaluate Web information.

    14. Thus, when we speak of New Literacies in an online age we mean that literacy is not just “new” today; it becomes “new” every day of our lives. Proficiency in these continuously new, online literacies will define our students’ success in both school and life.

      Technology is continuously growing. Teachers need to prepare students for the future.

    15. In addition, new tools for lit-eracy will appear on the Internet tomorrow with additional, New Litera-cies required to use them effectively.

      New technology is being developed everyday that allows us to help enhance our reading and writing skills.

    16. Make it a policy to always teach a new technology, with new literacies, to your weakest reader(s) first. This enables struggling readers and writers to become literate in this new technology before other, higher-performing students in reading

      This is a great point! Being able to develop digital literacy will not only build confidence in their skills, but provide them with practice regarding literacy in general.

    17. online reading compre-hension is online research. Second, online reading also becomes tightly integrated with writing as we communicate with others to learn more about the questions we explore and as we communicate our own inter-pretations

      I find this intertwining of reading and communicating through technology fascinating. Not only is a never-ending amount of information at students and teachers fingertips, but they can share this information further through their own online communication. Like this says, this may also involve their own interpretations of what they read. Getting different perspectives is crucial to learning and makes communicating online a great tool for understanding.

    18. Teachers become more important, though their role changes, within new literacy classrooms

      I feel as though this is especially true regarding the web. Students must be taught how to effectively use it. However, this is only possible if the teacher knows how to effectively use it as well.

    19. The Internet is this generation’s defining technology for literacy and learning within our global community

      I like how this includes the word global. Literacy and learning can quickly transition from being confined to the walls of the classroom to engaged with global opinions and thoughts.

    20. However, this does not nec-essarily mean they are skilled in the effective use of online information, perhaps the most important aspect of the Internet.

      Students may be skilled in actively using the internet, however, they need the skills to be able to use it effectively. Understanding what to be searching and how to identify credible sources is a huge part of this.

    21. Teach Source EvaluationSkillsIf you want to teach source evaluation skills, have small groups conduct research to answer a three-part problem such as this:1.How high is Mt. Fuji in feet?2.Find a different answer to this same question.3.Which answer do you trust and why do you trust it?

      Teach source evaluation skills- I like this idea!

    22. print out enough copies of the first page of search results for each student. Dis-tribute these. Then see if students can locate the best link on the search results page for each question that you ask such as, “Which link will take you to a site developed by an Egyptologist?”

      Good example ACTIVITY to help students develop digital literacy

    23. Since the words Internet or online never appear in the reading standards of the United States and since we are only beginning to develop our knowledge of online reading, we run the risk of interpreting nearly all of the stan-dards in reading with a lens to our past, implementing them only within traditional print contexts. Such an outcome will limit instruction, deny-ing important learning opportunities to our students.

      This is such a great point! Teachers may look at standards with a lens from the past, instead of looking at the same standards with a lens to the future.

      • "The words internet or online never appear in the reading standards of the United States"
    24. Interestingly, the word Internet is never used in the CCSS reading stan-dards (Leu et al., 2011), despite the fact that the writing standards specify the use of “digital sources,” “technology,” and the “Internet” repeatedly (CCSS, 2010, p.41). Because of this, many will ignore instruction in online reading, thinking that the CCSS only references traditional, offline read-ing comprehension. Many may also fail to integrate reading and writing instruction, an important part of any literacy program.

      There is a lot wrong with the Common Core standards, so I'm glad this article pointed this out. That is a perspective in the standards I had never thought of before and this gave me a new lens to look at it with

    25. Thus, when we speak of New Literacies in an online age we mean that literacy is not just “new” today; it becomes “new” every day of our lives.

      Good point- "updates" really do require new skills and knowledge to be able to work. This statement really explains the urgency of being able to re-work and learn ever-changing technologies.

    26. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, online reading may require even greater amounts of higher-level thinking than offline reading. In a context in which anyone may publish anything, higher-level thinking skills such as critical evaluation of source material become especially important online.

      This step-critical evaluation of online texts- seemed to have been skipped when I was in school. Surely not skipped, but not emphasized.

    27. However, this does not nec-essarily mean they are skilled in the effective use of online information, perhaps the most important aspect of the Internet.

      Just because you use something doesn't mean you use it effectively.

    28. Some believe there is little to teach; our students are already “digital natives,” skilled in online literacies

      I can relate to this belief. I was under this impression for a while and am only now starting to see how this is untrue.

    1. Welcome to the Newsela Instructional Content Platform. We solve the problem of reading engagement holistically for students, teachers, and principals. See our results See our results Fresh, adaptive reads for every subject. ELA Science Elementary Math SocialStudies Our Content Partners World-class students (yours)deserve world-class instructional content. History Bio National Geographic The Washington Post The Guardian ProCon.org Encyclopædia Britannica Scientific American Associated Press The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History PBS Newshour Smithsonian Perfect for elementary, too. With content and activities created specifically for students in grades 2-6, Newsela fits seamlessly into your elementary literacy routine. Learn more Assessments FTW. Every great love affair with reading begins with engagement, and Assessments are the ultimate in engagement. Know if students did the reading, if they’ve understood it, and much more. (All from the comfort of your mobile device.) Quizzes. Annotations. Writing Prompts. Teach vocabulary in context with Power Words. Forget word lists and memorization—the best way to learn new words is for students to encounter them in context while they read. Available on hundreds of articles. 5 Power Words with student-friendly definitions are embedded in hundreds of articles. Students can practice Power Words by completing 10 practice activities after reading. Words and points are collected on each student’s Word Wall. 123 Is your district missing something? Not anymore. We designed the Newsela Instructional Content Platform to fit perfectly into how your district already works. Integrate with Google Classroom, Canvas, Clever and more. Learn about PRO Learn about PRO It’s time to solvereading engagement. Join our community of 1,300,000 educators and counting. Join Learn about PRO Close Teachers Administrators Newsela About Newsela Pro Company Careers Content Partners Help Learning & Support Follow Us Press Blog Twitter Facebook Youtube Instagram © 2018 Newsela | info@newsela.com | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

      Newsela- Articles customizable to any reading level:) Keep as a future resource

    1. This process involves the following five phases:

      The 5 phases of Internet Inquiry Projects include: 1) identifying interest 2) engaging in OCI 3) critically evaluating online info 4) synthesizing what's been learned 5) engaging in OCC

    2. hese learning activities and assessments are supercharged through the use of digital texts and tools, while building the web literacies of you and your students. As you become more familiar with Internet Inquiry Projects, you’ll find that you regularly use the web for teaching and learning every day

      Teachers need to explore and familiarize themselves with digital texts and tools to comfortably integrate them in their lesson plans.

    3. Students critically evaluate online information by considering the credibility (truthfulness) and validity (usefulness) of the information obtained

      This is something that I think even college students still struggle with.

    4. The Internet Inquiry Project is an online research project that helps students develop the important digital knowledge and skills needed as they build their web literacies. Internet Inquiry Projects are student interest driven, and are more authentic as a learning activity than traditional WebQuests. Internet Inquiry Projects also align well with Project Based Learning (PBL) initiatives. For more guidance about Internet Inquiry Projects, please review Reading the Web by Elizabeth Dobler and Maya Eagleton. This work draws on the Internet Workshop model and facilitates online reading comprehension.

      I love that this student driven and promotes learning.

    5. WebQuests play a vital role in the classroom by providing students with a scripted, guided examination of online resources in a topic. As students expand beyond the WebQuest, the next step is to engage in an Internet Inquiry Project

      WebQuest information

    6. There are many variations as the project is student interest driven, and may last any amount of time. The design, focus, and length of the Internet Inquiry Project should be determined by your student learning objectives, as well as your own technological, pedagogical, and content area knowledge (TPACK) and objectives

      I could absolutely see this taking place in a theatre classroom--especially in a tech or theatre history unit--but also areas of method acting, or different directors, etc.

    7. Student engage in online content construction by synthesizing what they have learned and selecting the best digital text or tool before sharing this answer.

      This is the perfect final step

    8. Students collaboratively (with the instructor) identify an area of interest and co-construct a driving question to guide inquiry. Students engage in online collaborative inquiry as they search and sift through online texts using digital tools to address their focus of inquiry. Students critically evaluate online information by considering the credibility (truthfulness) and validity (usefulness) of the information obtained. Students synthesize what they have learned during their online inquiry by actively curating and synthesizing information across multiple, multimodal sources. Student engage in online content construction by synthesizing what they have learned and selecting the best digital text or tool before sharing this answer.

      5 phases of internet inquiry: useful list

    9. Student engage in online content construction by synthesizing what they have learned and selecting the best digital text or tool before sharing this answer.

      I love that students are given the opportunity to choose their mode of sharing. Not only is this great for 21C learning, but it accounts for the multiple learning styes within a classroom.

    1. I can see how PBL is the vehicle by which I can teach both the Common Core Standards and the 21st century competencies to my first graders. I am also very excited that I don’t have to throw out all the great units I have taught in the past, but instead can view them through a PBL lens.

      Not completely starting over, just improving previous lessons. This ties in to the article about viewing digital literacies through a different lens. PBL can be the vehicle to teach standards along with 21st century competencies.

    2. Videos, pictures, books to introduce topic. Map made of where animals were located. Signs posted in their area about saving the frog. Students discover why the frog population is declining, then come up with their own solutions. Students discuss the declining frog population with a local expert. I like this project based learning activity although it doesn't necessarily involve technology. However, students were asked to identify how they could post information about saving the frog on media. Students posted an informative video on youtube. I think this could involve technology in the research part of the lesson, but I also feel that this was appropriate for student levels.

    1. For younger students, steps should be assigned to a time line, while students in middle school and above can schedule the tasks on their own and learn about self-discipline at the same time.

      I like that this included an example for elementary students. Many times a first grade student is not as independent as a middle school student, but they still need to practice these skills.

    2. Authentic assessments help students analyze what they’ve learned and apply it their own experience. They don’t have to memorize facts for a test, so they can use their creativity to show what they’ve learned. For older students who can use a combination of writing and speaking, authentic assessment helps them refine their writing and oral presentation skills. Authentic assessment works great for groups, so students can get experience collaborating on projects with their peers.

      Students need these skills to become successful members of society outside of school. Students collaborate to find solutions.

    1. learning is so rich and it's so 04:21 meaningful that our students do very 04:23 well on standardized tests

      This is interesting. I feel that standardized tests are the opposite of what comprehensive assessment encourages. I can see how promoting problem solving skills could lead to better standardized test performance.

    2. 01:57 you're doing a lot of small check-ins 01:59 with the students to see where they're

      Assessments should provide feedback to teachers and used to see what students know or are struggling with. Teachers adjust instruction based on assessments.

    3. 00:17 evolve to reflect the skills and 00:20 knowledge that we actually value and 00:22 that we need schools to teach in our 00:25 students to learn

      Teachers can change classroom assessments, but I wish there was a way to change this at a federal level. They will not experience multiple choice questions in their daily life, assessments like that do not reflect real-world experiences.

    1. 05:45 standards and there's an assumption 05:47 behind a lot of that that we actually 05:48 know what our kids are going to face in 05:50 the future

      Standards don't necessarily reflect what students will experience in the future, teaching for only standards is not necessarily authentic.

    2. have the opportunity to kind of tinker 04:19 they get to think about something but 04:21 then also actually build it create it

      Reminds me of the video about productivity increasing when employees were given creative freedom.

    3. language arts class students wrote 03:28 letters to Portland City officials and 03:30 created proposals for the installation 03:33 of their original works of public art

      Love that it ties in to multiple subject areas.

    4. sites going to be connected as a walking 02:43 tour you know how to get there so if we 02:45 went to the othe

      collaborative project that reflects a real world situation, reading and making a map, identifying things in your community. Very cool project!

    1. best use of assessment is to figure out 03:45 where they're at and how I can get them 03:48 to where I want them to be

      Best use of assessment is to gain feedback and gain insight on your students' learning processes.

    2. 02:55 that they do to challenge them to 02:57 synthesize things and to approach 03:00 problems in the way that a scientist 03:03 does or historian d

      Authentic because they can use it in their lives outside of school

    3. Connecting the math assignment to NYC building codes is a great example of how what students learn in school will connect to real life problems. Students are much more likely to learn and retain what they are learning when they see the real world implications in the lesson.

    1. We need you to make sure that they're transparent enough 08:12 that we can see what the rules are 08:14 that determine what gets through our filters.

      we should have control, and these algorithms should be transparent

    2. 03:29 Yahoo News, the biggest news site on the Internet, 03:32 is now personalized -- different people get different things.

      This makes it so much harder to get information about subjects you are not familiar with. The internet chooses what to show you based on your likes/dislikes. Reminds me of advertising rather than providing an objective search.

    1. orest schools are also under the greatest pressure to raise sc

      I can attest to this. I have never had a student who had access to the internet at home. I also agree that our school system and teaching practices can rely heavily on "teaching for the test" because of how much value is put on the score. I like the point about new literacies of online reading comprehension being ignored because they are not tested.

    1. By simultaneously integrating knowledge of technology, pedagogy and content, expert teachers bring TPACK into play any time they teach

      It makes me nervous to read about "expert" teachers. I feel like it will take years and years to become comfortable with TPACK.

    2. separating the three components (content, pedagogy, and technology) … is an analytic act and one that is difficult to tease out in practice. In actuality, these components exist in a state of dynamic equilibrium or, as the philosopher Kuhn (1977) said in a different context, in a state of ‘‘essential tension’’…. Viewing any of these components in isolation from the others represents a real disservice to good teaching.

      Can't section out for units and lessons, must intertwine

    3. At the heart of good teaching with technology are three core components: content, pedagogy, and technology, plus the relationships among and between them. The interactions between and among the three components, playing out differently across diverse contexts, account for the wide variations seen in the extent and quality of educational technology integration. These three knowledge bases (content, pedagogy, and technology) form the core of the technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework.
    4. Social and institutional contexts are often unsupportive of teachers’ efforts to integrate technology use into their work.

      I agree, sometimes I am even given new technology or a new app to use in class without training.

    5. Technology and content knowledge have a deep historical relationship. Progress in fields as diverse as medicine, history, archeology, and physics have coincided with the development of new technologies that afford the representation and manipulation of data in new and fruitful ways.

      I believe all of these coincide with pedagogy. As technology advances in medicine in history, new studies can help determine the way children have historically reacted to different stimuli and the like, helping to cater to different pedagogical methods.

    1. I agree and feel that in my school district the overall attitude towards new online resources can be negative. Some teachers feel that they aren't properly trained or that they are given a new resource to learn each year. I've spent time learning an online program and then it was taken away the next school year. This wouldn't happen with an OER though because they are free, which is great.

    2. Open learning, also known as open education, can be defined as a set of practices, resources, and scholarship that are openly accessible, free to use and access, and to re-purpose.

      This is a key part of teaching with technology. The use of the web provides endless opportunities and information that are accessible to all.

    3. We uploaded a pre-publication draft of the column to allow for review, remix, and commentary.

      Great article! It's interesting to see how schools (in Randall Johnson's scenario) gradually changed their minds about the aspect of sharing teaching content online

    1. Every article has five versions, each written for students at different reading levels. After a student reads the version that matches her skill level, she can take corresponding quizzes to test her knowledge.

      I love that there is software developed for all reading styles.

    1. Students today must be prepared to navigate the new "Cs of change" that the 21st century has brought us. These Cs include such skills as creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and comprehension.

      The five c's will not only provide guidance to students but also give students the tools to help them in the future whether at school or home.

    1. 2.Collaborate around computing.a.Select appropriate technological tools that can be used to collaborate on a project.b.Collaborate productively with individuals of varying perspectives, skills, and backgrounds.c.Set and implement equitable expectations and workloads when working in teams.d.Integrate constructive feedback while working in teams

      Computer Science Standard 2 b, c, d

    1. Tuition is about $34,000 per student and roughly 25 percent of students receive financial aid or scholarships. None have special needs or require English-language-learner services; 100 percent are admitted to college, most to top-tier universities.

      Would be awesome if all people had access to this learning through public education for diverse students, its up to us as the next generation of teachers to ensure that quality education that leads to success is available to ALL

    1. cooperative, problem-based learning has been shown to improve student engagement and retention of classroom material

      forced to actively participate and help others succeed as well as challenge yourself; could apply to any subject

    1.  Teachers in the substitution and augmentation phase can use technology to accomplish traditional tasks,  but the real learning gains result from engaging students in learning experiences that could not be accomplished without technology. At the Modification and Redefinition level, the task changes and extends the walls of the classroom.

      I feel that technology is important in the classroom and for traditional assignments and tasks it is appropriate. However, making sure that technology is not the center of the classroom.

    1. onnected learning is realized when a young person is able to pursue a personal interest or passion with the support of friends and caring adults, and is in turn able to link this learning and interest to academic achievement, career success or civic engagement.

      Is the only connection to technology the fact that technology is so prevalent in our lives today? The same could be done without technology and more integration between learning and community (ex. go out to different jobs in the community, more electives with access to learning in environments beyond the school, reading books and discussing connection between book and real world or writing to authors like in the book "Freedom Writers")

    2. 14 | CONNECTED LEARNINGoday’s educational institutions are struggling to fulfill their mission of provid-ing pathways to opportunity for all youth. In the past two decades, earnings have dropped for those without high school degrees, while dropout rates have continued to remain high among vulnerable populations. At the same time, privileged families are turning to costly private schools and enrichment activities for an educa-tional edge, preparing their children for a competitive and volatile market for profes-sional and fulfilling jobs.

      This is sad but true. Education systems are not functionally appropriate for all students. Modifications need to be made in our to help more students

    1. Access to specialized, interest-driven and personalized learning used to be difficult and scarce. But in today’s networked world, there’s no reason why all children should not have the opportunity to pursue connected learning.

      Grants can be applied for to increase access to new technology, but it's about more than just having the technology to use (students may not have wifi at home, still lacking in other ways). Connected learning involves a teaching APPROACH that can be obtained with or without 24/7 access to technology and internet.

    2. Traditional education is failing to engage many students as they enter their middle school, high school, and college years. The culture clash between formal education and interest-driven, out-of-school learning is escalating in today’s world

      Very true about the culture clash between formal education and interest-driven, out-of-school learning. Kids these days are already so used to using technology from day to day, but unfortunately they come across as more of a distraction than an amazing tool that puts learning at our fingertips. A student's interest in something is what inspires them to gain further insight and knowledge. Integrating technology in and out of the classroom can help to inspire students to stay involved in learning on their own, as well as in the classroom.

    3. Connected learning is when someone is pursuing a personal interest with the support of peers, mentors and caring adults, and in ways that open up opportunities for them. It is a fundamentally different mode of learning than education centered on fixed subjects, one-to-many instruction, and standardized testing.

      Connected learning is more of an approach to education, not so much a learning theory.

    4. The “connected” in connected learning is about human connection as well as tapping the power of connected technologies. Rather than see technology as a means toward more efficient and automated forms of education, connected learning puts progressive, experiential, and learner-centered approaches at the center of technology-enhanced learning.

      Support fo peers and more effective education through the use of technology.

    5. Traditional education is failing to engage many students as they enter their middle school, high school, and college years. The culture clash between formal education and interest-driven, out-of-school learning is escalating in today’s world where social communication and interactive content is always at our fingertips. We need to harness these new technologies for learning rather than distraction.

      I think this statement and the proof behind it is the main reason why digitally literate teachers incorporating and harnessing the power of technology in the classroom is so important.

    1. In the IRT model the gradual release of responsibility is accomplished through three phases of online research and comprehension instruction which aims “to increase academic engagement, encourage active reading, and promote students as experts in online research and comprehension”

      Internet Reciprocal Teaching- Great article on discussing 3 stages- also great chart to explain it!

    1. Students work on a project over an extended period of time – from a week up to a semester – that engages them in solving a real-world problem or answering a complex question. They demonstrate their knowledge and skills by developing a public product or presentation for a real audience.

      Good source to further look into PBL

    1. PBL is entrenched in the concept of the elements being “ongoing.” Building a PBL culture in the classroom isn’t just about doing a project every quarter. It’s about using the Design Elements as often as possible. It’s about offering Choice in different assignments, rubrics, deadlines, or partnerships on an everyday basis. It’s about training students to ask great questions not just when creating a Need to Know list, but when using Google, when asking for feedback, or to even develop their own peer-to-peer assessments. The need to teach literacy is also ongoing.

      great descriptor of PBL

    1. Using information technology has become an important skill for students and employees. As a teacher wishing to use the Internet your options are typically to either provide students with specific links or have them “Google” to find information on the Internet. Using Google can yield interesting and unexpected results. Creating a list of specific links is time consuming and does not teach the students how to search the web.

      This is a good point- typically teachers either give students a list of links or let them use google free reign. Creating a custom google search engine for the class may help

    1. You can demonstrate this in a straight-forward fashion by asking for four volunteers to come up on stage or to the front of the classroom. Position the four from stage left to stage right, spaced evenly across the stage, one lying on the ground, one sitting on the floor, one sitting in a chair, and one standing up. Then ask the student audience several questions: “To which person do you eyes automatically go and why?” “Who is in the strongest position on stage and why?” “Who seems to be the most important in this stage picture and why?” “Who is in the weakest position on stage and why?” “Who is the least important and why?” With students discussing and demon-strating their understanding of these body positions on stage, you are able to introduce the concepts of strong and weak stage positions, while simultane-ously assessing their understanding of the concepts as they contribute to the discussion. Depending on the clarity of their answers, you can either review and re-teach, or move on

      Great directing activity

    2. You can demonstrate this in a straight-forward fashion by asking for four volunteers to come up on stage or to the front of the classroom. Position the four from stage left to stage right, spaced evenly across the stage, one lying on the ground, one sitting on the floor, one sitting in a chair, and one standing up. Then ask the student audience several questions: “To which person do you eyes automatically go and why?” “Who is in the strongest position on stage and why?” “Who seems to be the most important in this stage picture and why?” “Who is in the weakest position on stage and why?” “Who is the least important and why?” With students discussing and demon-strating their understanding of these body positions on stage, you are able to introduce the concepts of strong and weak stage positions, while simultane-ously assessing their understanding of the concepts as they contribute to the discussion. Depending on the clarity of their answers, you can either review and re-teach, or move on

      Great directing activity

    3. Beginning with the end in mind prevents curriculum from becoming a collection of random lessons, and it helps create the assessment founda-tion from which the skills and knowl-edge of students can be measured

      Helps structure the semester or year

    4. If you were doing a unit based on that standard and wanted to “begin with the end in mind,” you might ask your students to create a scene with a beginning, middle, and end that shows distinct characters in conflict. This goal is observable, measurable, and attain-able.

      Example of a learning goal in theatre

    5. We borrow our first step from Stephen Covey, who wrote the popular self-help book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Covey’s second habit is to “Begin with the end in mind.”

      Backward design

    6. We’re going to go a step further and offer a framework for the-atre teachers who want to incorporate authentic assessment into their theatre classes.

      Authentic assessment in theatre

    1. Connected learning is realized when a young person is able to pursue a personal interest or passion with the support of friends and caring adults, and is in turn able to link this learning and interest to academic achievement, career success or civic engagement.

      Finding a personal interest and being supported by peers is so important and helps to keep that personal drive alive. Being able to link that with becoming academically-oriented is also just as important.

    1. 6. Openly-Networked Connected learning environments link learning in school, home and community because learners achieve best when their learning is reinforced and supported in multiple settings. Online platforms can make learning resources abundant, accessible and visible across all learner settings.”

      Apply the SAMR model and involve classrooms across the world.

    2. When academic studies and institutions draw from and connect to young people’s peer culture, communities and interest-driven pursuits, learners flourish and realize their true potential.

      Driving motivation!!!!!

    3. Connected learning prizes the learning that comes from actively producing, creating, experimenting and designing because it promotes skills and dispositions for lifelong learning and for making meaningful contributions to today’s rapidly changing work and social conditions.

      Such a confidence booster.

    1. These dedicated professionals are also harmed by the same one-size-fits-all system that’s failing too many of their students.

      These test scores prove that not all students learn the same and that engagement decrease with age. Change is needed to provide all students an equal chance.

    1. Motivating Learners

      The take on gaming and relating it to motivating learners really painted a better picture. Embracing change is an important aspect of education, changing ideas or learning styles until it works. I love that he focuses on passion of the students, it is all student driven.

    1. Designers and theater students aren’t just learning basic principles of acting and directing; they’re also learning how to use technology to enhance their visions.

      "using technology to enhance their visions". This is interesting and very true, but I would love to explore what actual changes are taking place, rather than just enhancements.

    1. Your digestive (say: dye-JES-tiv) system started working even before you took the first bite of your pizza. And the digestive system will be busy at work on your chewed-up lunch for the next few hours — or sometimes days, depending upon what you've eaten. This process, called digestion,

      A good website option to give students for online collaborative inquiry (when having students research, list this website)

    1. All collaborative learning is done in a group (of at least two people), but not all group work is inherently collaborative! The trick is to structure the activity in a way that makes students work together to be successful.

      Important to remember