695 Matching Annotations
  1. Apr 2018
    1. The flipped format did allow for greater flexibility and applied learning opportunities at home and during discussion sections.

      Note the importance placed on test results as the basis for success in this report.

    2. the freedom to watch pre-recorded lectures at any time
    3. There were no statistically significant differences in examination scores or students’ assessment of the course between 2015 (traditional) and 2016 (flipped)

      Important to look at course design as a whole, not just the inclusion of video, as a factor which can increase test scores. Also, compared two groups of students (2015 vs 2016). Look for controls.

  2. Mar 2018
    1. Of course, the goal of the Mistake Game isn’t to hide a mistake. Everyone already knows that your board has a mistake.

      Set the expectation early so all of the discussion is about content, not an arbitrary game.

    2. In the case of an unintentional mistake, the presenting group always has the option to act as though it were intentional.
    3. There is an obvious need for explaining their work, since they assume it will be different from everyone else’s.

      The teacher (see earlier) is making sure there is diversity in responses so discussion is rich.

    4. I’ll obviously let you go up with a wrong answer on your board, but I won’t let you sit back down with one.

      This is the critical teaching component.

    5. Good questions usually try to lead people to seeing an inconsistency or contradiction in their work.
    6. That means it should be something that you think your classmates might actually do.
  3. Oct 2017
    1. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY.

      This is the only policy of the three from Flipgrid which they do not notify you about changes. Make it a habit to check back here regularly to ensure you're using a service which complies with federal law.

    2. HOW WE RESPOND TO DO NOT TRACK SIGNALS. We do not currently respond to "do not track" signals or other mechanisms that might enable consumers to opt out of tracking on our Site.

      The only tracking you can opt out of is location, which is done at the device level.

    3. Our marketing emails explain how to "opt-out." If you or your Child opts out, we may still send your Child non-marketing emails. Non-marketing emails include emails about your Child's accounts and our business dealings with your Child.

      Students will receive these emails, not just teachers. Be aware and come up with a plan on how to help children understand this information use.

    4. We may share personal information with other users for the purpose of providing the Services.

      This allows others to see the videos posted by the student.

    5. We reserve the right to use anonymous data for any purpose and disclose anonymous data to third parties in our sole discretion.

      They don't sell children's information, but in aggregate, they may provide these datasets to third parties without disclosure.

    6. We use your Child's personal information to communicate about promotions, upcoming events, and other news about products and services offered by us and our selected partners.

      Flipgrid may contact the student with notices based on the email address they submit. You can typically turn these off in the app settings. Make sure your grid settings are also set to not send notices to users.

    7. along with any other information that your Child chooses to make public through the Site

      Be sure you know who has access to the Grids you are creating.

    8. Parents, please contact your child's school to understand the school's privacy practices.

      ECS is compliant with federal privacy laws.

    9. who are under 13 years of age

      This policy applies specifically to users under 13. If the students are over 13, they fall under the general Privacy Policy.

    1. If we make changes to this Privacy Policy that we believe will materially affect your rights, we will notify you by email about these changes and post a notice to our service and change the "Last Updated" date above

      You may not be notified of all changes. It's a good idea to check the policy statements from time to time to make sure you're okay with updates.

    2. Flipgrid may still retain information for up to 90 days to provide customer support and prevent accidental deletion.

      When you delete your account, you lose access to the site. Flipgrid retains data for 90 days in the event an investigation is requested by authorities.

    3. Users may opt-out of providing personal information to the Flipgrid application at any time by uninstalling the application. If you choose not to share locational data with Flipgrid, you may disable location services on your device and reinstall the Flipgrid mobile application or deactivate GPS on your mobile device.

      If you don't agree to sending the data they collect, you can opt out of using the service. Be sure to disable GPS and other location data in the mobile device settings if you don't want that information shared.

    4. The Teacher, and not Flipgrid, sets the Grid's privacy settings

      You are responsible for protecting the content in a grid.

    5. We may disclose or transfer your personal Information in connection with the sale, merger, bankruptcy, sale of assets or reorganization, in whole or in part, of our company. Flipgrid's Privacy Policy will apply to transferred user data and we will notify users in such an event.

      If the company is acquired by a larger company, all of the collected data goes to the purchaser. The Flipgrid policy stays in effect at the time of sale, but that does not mean it will always be in effect. Pay attention to the sale terms so you can continue or discontinue use as appropriate.

    6. We do not sell Student data

      This is due to COPPA and FERPA requirements. If this explicit statement (or some form) is not included in the policy of a service you'd like to use, it's best to stay away from it, especially if you're asking students to sign up.

    7. USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

      They're collecting a significant amount of data, some of which is used for service updates and advertisements to the teacher.

    8. When a student posts content (text, images, photographs, videos, messages, comments or any other kind of content) in Flipgrid, the information contained in the posting, including any audio and image included within any video, first name, last name and email address, will be stored in our Service. Such "content" and "information" will be collectively referred to as "Content." We may collect the unique device id number of the mobile device on which a student uses the Flipgrid application. If a device a student uses to access Flipgrid has location services enabled, we may collect that information.

      The same data is collected for students. Name, video/audio to provide the service, and location data if it is enabled on the device.

    9. We may collect the unique device id number of the mobile device on which a teacher uses the Flipgrid application. If the device a teacher uses to access Flipgrid has location services enabled, we may collect that information.

      They are paying attention to how and where you connect. This is not necessarily bad, but it is important to be aware because if I know your name and location, I can find you (or your students) reasonably easily. It's a good idea to limit location data, in particular, for certain services.

    10. A NOTE FOR SCHOOL USERS. In accordance with COPPA, schools, school districts, teachers and other educational institutions (each a "school") may act as a parent's agent and can consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your Child's personal information on your behalf.

      This falls under parent in absentia like many school services. If you would like to get parental consent in writing, it's not a bad idea to do that, either. But, Flipgrid assumes you have the proper permissions when you sign up for the service.

      Elkhart networks are COPPA and FERPA compliant.

    11. We will notify you of changes to our policies so you are always up to date.

      This is also a good inclusion. Many TOS and Privacy Policies state that they are not required to notify you of updates. They're going an extra step to make sure everyone is informed of company decisions.

    12. We will neither advertise to students nor sell any student data.

      This is a huge commitment, especially because student data cannot be used for financial gain according to federal law.

    13. We own the platform; we own none of the content placed by our users on Flipgrid.

      This is highlighted in the Terms of Service.

    1. These Terms, and your rights and obligations herein, may not be assigned, subcontracted, delegated, or otherwise transferred by you without our prior written consent, and any attempted assignment, subcontract, delegation, or transfer in violation of the foregoing will be null and void

      One more reminder that you are responsible for the proper use of the service.

    2. INDEMNIFICATION

      If a complaint is brought by a third party because of your content, Flipgrid is not liable. You are also responsible for attorney's fees and costs associated with the defense.

      This comes from the agreement that you are the content holder, not Flipgrid. They simply display that material.

      Again, this is standard in many agreements (it's even better than most because you're not locked into arbitration). It's not meant to scare you, but make you really think through how you and your students will be using the service.

    3. all fees are nonrefundable.

      If you purchase a year long subscription but don't use it for that full term, you are not entitled to remittance or refund.

    4. License

      This grants a license from you, the content creator to Flipgrid, the content displayer, to show your content to anyone, anywhere. This means a student can access your grid from any computer in the world if you grant them access.

    5. Topics about possession, control, or transfer of student-generated User content, including the review and correction by a student, parent, or legal guardian of a student of personally identifiable information, should be directed to the School User.

      If Flipgrid is contacted about student videos, they're going to refer that request back to you because you are the responsible party.

    6. 2.3 Modification. We reserve the right, at any time, to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Site (in whole or in part) with or without notice or liability to you.

      "If we close the site, we are not help accountable for any of your data."

      Services take money and if they can't pay the bills or if their business strategy changes, they are not liable to you, the consumer/customer.

    7. 2.2 Certain Restrictions

      This section outlines restrictions on the use of the site. Again, this is common in terms agreements for most services. In short, you're using the site appropriately. Specific prohibitions include:

        1. Do not use the site to build your own competing service
        1. Do not harass other users by trying to access their data without express permission.
        1. Do not access the site to indiscriminately copy materials for your own personal use.
    8. Student Records are and continue to be the property and under the control of the School User. School Users may request the deletion of student information, Student Records, or Student-generated User content by contacting Flipgrid at support@flipgrid.com;

      This phrase is critical. It means you can do whatever you need to do with student data.

    9. grant us a nonexclusive license to view, download, reproduce, modify, create derivative works of, distribute, and display Student Records solely for the purposes discussed in these Terms

      This phrase shows up a lot in service agreements. In short, it means that Flipgrid - as a company - can display your public grids to other users. If you want private grids, you'll need to subscribe to a premium account or not use the service.

    10. Children's Privacy Policy

      Be sure to read this so you know what it says.

    11. School Users have additional responsibilities to the Students they represent

      Another reminder that you are representing - therefore liable - for the actions of your students.

      This is not meant to make you fearful! It is important to teach our students digital literacy skills in all applications. This can be a valuable teaching tool as we move to one to one at all grade levels.

    12. you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your Account login information

      Don't share passwords!

    13. Teachers and School Users

      Make sure you understand the difference between these two. See paragraph 1.

    14. Creating an account with Flipgrid indicates that you have read and agree to comply with these Terms on behalf of yourself and/or the entity or students you represent, that you have the right and authority to bind the entity (if applicable) to these Terms, and that you will be responsible for adherence to these Terms under your Account (defined below)

      Signing up for the service places you under the terms of this agreement both for yourself and for your students. You are responsible for following the guidelines.

    1. Teachers need to master more than the subject matter they teach; they must also have a deep understanding of the manner in which the subject matter (or the kinds of representations that can be constructed) can be changed by the application of particular technologies

      Abstraction and analysis can be aided by technology. How are you staying up to date on available tools which can aid your instruction? How do you evaluate the use of those technologies and revision of lessons? How do you reflect on further changes or iterations?

    2. being able to recognize when information technology can assist or impede the achievement of a goal

      There is a big push in working effectively with technology, but for the purposes of this course (and in all teaching), we're more interested in how we teach, which includes technology components, but is not contingent on its use or non-use.

    3. Teachers’ deep knowledge about the processes and practices or methods of teaching and learning.

      Some practices are limited to specific courses (ex: listening tests in music) and that comes into play with the PCK component. But, there are shared practices in all areas and that is what we're focusing on for this PLC.

    4. every situation is unique, and no single combination of content, technology, and pedagogy will apply for every teacher

      Frameworks help us build our professional expertise and implementation of programs. Students are exposed to varying viewpoints and contexts. Having common goals help implement systemic change effectively.

    5. The TPACK framework goes further by emphasizing the kinds of knowledge that lie at the intersections between three primary forms: Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)

      The instructional core is "the interaction of teachers and students in the presence of content." Knowing all three of those is important in building a strong culture of learning. TPACK helps build a strong culture of learning with technology.

  4. Sep 2017
    1. That’s why the impulse to growth has been so fundamental to the company, which is in many respects more like a virus than it is like a business. Grow and multiply and monetise. Why? There is no why. Because.

      Money isn't an issue with you're worth 485 billion dollars. Growth is the only driver.

    2. The company’s ambition, its ruthlessness, and its lack of a moral compass scare me. It goes back to that moment of its creation, Zuckerberg at his keyboard after a few drinks creating a website to compare people’s appearance, not for any real reason other than that he was able to do it. That’s the crucial thing about Facebook, the main thing which isn’t understood about its motivation: it does things because it can.

      With a monopoly, there is no good reason not to do something.

    3. A customers’ revolt

      This is an ad tech revolt, not Facebook users.

    4. What this means is that even more than it is in the advertising business, Facebook is in the surveillance business.

      The more you know about a potential client through obvious or surreptitious means makes you money in the ad business.

    5. Facebook could now put your identity together with the unique device identifier on your phone.

      No single company claims to have PII, but together, through partnerships designed to make more money for the firms, can target each of us, individually, anywhere.

    6. It’s just that it isn’t too keen on anyone apart from Facebook making any money from that content.

      Coopting the user.

    7. Its interest is in the targeting, not in the content. This is probably one reason for the change in the company’s mission statement. If your only interest is in connecting people, why would you care about falsehoods?

      Identifying falsehoods recognizes that there is a problem and that the truth is more valuable than the bottom line of the company.

    8. It’s crucial to this that Facebook has no financial interest in telling the truth.

      There is little money in the daily, the mundane.

    9. Internet companies are working in a field that is poorly understood (if understood at all) by customers and regulators.

      Understanding of a technology drops as usability increases.

  5. Aug 2017
    1. Certain Services

      Apps installed

    2. You may disable the location-based functionality of Maps by going to the Location Services setting on your iOS Device and turning off the individual location setting for Maps

      You can disable this in settings.

    3. o its partners and licensees to help improve their map and location-based products and services.

      Apple uses third-party partners to improve Maps data.

    4. When you use any location-based features within Maps, such as turn-by-turn navigation, traffic and local search, various location-related and usage information may be sent to Apple, including the real-time geographic location of your iOS Device, in order to process your request and help improve Maps

      Real-time location is necessary for these functions. Usage also improves their database.

    5. When you use your device,your phone number and certain unique identifiers for your iOS Device are sent to Apple in order to allow others to reach you by your phone number

      For the messaging to function, your ID is used by Apple to deliver said data.

    6. You may not rent, lease, lend, sell, redistribute, or sublicense the iOS Software.

      You cannot profit from your iOS device or Apple ID.

    7. You acknowledge that many features, built-in apps, and Services of the iOS Software transmit data and could impact charges to your data plan, and that you are responsible for any such charges.

      Apps require data to be sent via some kind of network. If you're on a cell network, you're responsible for that bill.

    8. Use of the App Store requires a unique user name and password combination, known as an Apple ID.

      The Apple ID is linked to the hardware identifier.

    9. The iOS Software may be used to reproduce materials so long as such use is limited to reproduction of non-copyrighted materials, materials in which you own the copyright, or materials you are authorized or legally permitted to reproduce.

      Intellectual property restrictions.

    10. To the extent that Apple has preinstalled Apple-branded apps from the App Store on your iOS Device at the time of purchase (“Preinstalled Apps”), you will need to log into the App Store and associate these Preinstalled Apps with your App Store account in order to use them on your iOS Device.

      To use Apple Apps under the licence, you need an Apple ID. The hardware identifier allows them to deliver future apps to your device under the single-user agreement.

    11. Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, you are granted a limited non-exclusive license to download iOS Software Updates that may be made available by Apple for your model of the iOS Device to update or restore the software on any such iOS Device that you own or control.

      You can update without express permission from Apple when updates are published to the device model. These updates are not required. You cannot force others to update nor can you do an update form them remotely.

    12. iOS Software to exist on more than one Apple-branded iOS Device at a time, and you may not distribute or make the iOS Software available over a network where it could be used by multiple devices at the same time.

      No cloud computing, no using a device as a server or virtual machine.

    1. “Few activities cover subjects that matter to teenagers, like YouTube or Snapchat,” researchers note. “As a result, few activities encourage students to think critically about the tools they use.”

      This is interesting. They're arguing that students aren't exposed to the wider open web, therefore they aren't learning skills. At the same time, by not covering apps and websites they're already engaged with decreases engagement overall. How do you bridge the gap?

    2. His mastery of the app store remains superficial.

      Mastery requires more than the ability to use something. Knowing how it works is important.

    3. Web literacy requires understanding the difference between a web browser, a search engine, or an app, and being able to leverage each.

      I'm not sure even our teachers can do this. Promoting digital literacy through the use of the Internet and defining vocabulary for discussion and application is key.

      Convincing people that they need to work on their digital literacy is a different story.

    4. Through offline, hands-on activities and roundtable discussions

      Close reading of information - any information - falls under well-developed literacy skills.

    5. Web literacy must become a fundamental part of our global education system

      How is "web literacy" different that "digital literacy?" Is it a subset?

  6. Jul 2017
  7. Jun 2017
    1. FLIP as Focusing on your Learners by Involving them in the Process.
    2. In the flipped classroom, instructors need to let go of their reliance on the lecture and focus on other ways to enhance learning by introducing active learning strategies that put students in the center of the learning experience.

      This happens at the planning phases, not in the presentation phases.

    1. designates the range of possibilities presented by combining Internet and digital media with established classroom forms that require the physical co-presence of teacher and students” (Friesen 2012)

      The importance of the teacher is reiterated here.

    2. Many blended learning practices already fit well with a vast array of hybrid face-to-face and digital experiences that students encounter in K–12 schools, including distributed learning, distance learning, or e-learning.

      According to BLU, this isn't truly blended because students lack agency in the coursework and they may not meet in a physial location.

    1. These tools may enhance learning experiences, but do not fundamentally shift instruction in a way that gives students some element of control.

      Is control the lynchpin for "blended" instruction? What's the cornerstone for flipping?

    2. the student learns at least in part in a supervised brick-and-mortar location away from home.

      Does flipping define where the learning happens as a requirement? Check Robert's literature.

    3. But often, online learning extends other types of control—in some cases students can choose the time at which they do their online learning, the path they want to take to learn a concept, or even the location from which they want to complete the online work—whether in a brick-and-mortar classroom or anywhere else.

      Flexible environment.

    4. students do some of their learning via the Internet.

      Is there a formal structure for this learning in a "blended" environment?

  8. Mar 2017
    1. There must be an “industrial revolution” in education, in which educational science and the ingenuity of educational technology combine to modernize the grossly inefficient and clumsy procedures of conventional education.

      Jenn Binis in her podcast, EdHistory 101 has a great overview of "efficiency" driving the development of public education.

    2. Each step must be so small that it can always be taken, yet in taking it the student moves somewhat closer to fully competent behavior.

      "Competent" or "compliant?"

    3. What do we cultivate as signs of intelligence

      Sir Ken Robinson touched on this in his MACUL 2017 keynote. Schools, he said, should be build more like organic farms that monocrop operations. It takes time to cultivate and nurture students.

    4. but most often you want to get where you’re going efficiently

      A good portion of education is wading through the unfamilar with a trusted teacher or mentor because you don't actually know where you want to go yet.

    5. Unlike the routes of public transportation – the bus route, the subway line – routes that are prescribed for and by the collective, the car is for you and you alone. The car is another one of these radically individualistic, individualizing technologies.

      Some of my most formaitve experiences as an adult came from learning to navigate the public transportation systems of Seoul. Being in the culture and around others helped me build an appreciation for other people in a way that isn't possible in suburban (or even urban) America.

    6. The best-earning global code reviewer makes more than 17,000 bucks a month. I compare this to the typical part-time teacher in the U.S. who teaches at a college – they make about $2,000 a month.”

      I think this is a huge difference: I don't teach for the money. I make enough to live, and I could certainly make money in some other market. But the goal of teaching is not self-enrichment.

    7. The company admitted that it hadn’t addressed at least one flaw in their programming: that its cars would make a right hand turn through a bicycle lane

      Fail forward! Iterate!

    8. (Spoiler alert: it won’t actually be learners – just like it’s not actually drivers – even though that’s where the interesting data comes from: not from mapping the roads, but from monitoring the traffic.)

      Remember, if you're a "user," it typically translates to "data" or "digital asset."

    1. There is another promising possibility afforded by such a model. Now consider a student learning digital dashboard that allows a learner (or others) to track learner progress within a curriculum.

      Link these to Outcomes in Canvas. Group outcomes by competency, students need to reach mastery in each as a part of their coursework reporting.

    2. With the competency-based badge model, earning a badge means that the learner met specific criteria that gives strong evidence of meeting a very specific competency.

      This is important in the Phase rollout as well as things like new teacher induction. What district level goals can we align badging and training to?

    3. this model emphasizes the role of instructor as a coach and mentor for each learner.

      The instructor needs to be proficient in this area, though. Coaching isn't enough support. Ideally, it would be someone who did - or at least helped - with the competency design process.

    4. From there we include a collection of readings, resources, suggested activities, and worked examples that have potential to help one reach the competency.

      The supporting elements. How are they distributed? Managed? Maintained?

    5. What if you started by listing out the program goals? From there, you created a longer list of discrete competencies that one would need in order to demonstrate achievement of these goals

      The endgame skills vs the tasks required to develop and demonstrate those skills.

    1. Information Literacy Modules

      This could be a good one to start with students through our libraries.

    2. If so, how will they need to be contextualized?

      What outside standards should be incorporated (ISTE, etc)

    3. eli9Scale

      Perhaps we show value through IL/IT first and then take best practices to other departments and buildings to help build a district-wide infrastructure for recognizing growth.

    4. How should one balance the skills or competency represented by the badge with the granting institution’s brand?

      One Elkhart becomes important as we certify teachers. The same is true if we open it to outside teachers, marking their achievement with the Elkhart logo conveys excellence and a high standard of achievement.

    5. What will your badges do for the recipient? What rewards or opportunities available to those who earn a badge will help motivate learners to complete the badge criteria or assessment process?

      Culturally, what changes need to be made in order to formally - and meaningfully - recognize achievements?

    6. You might also consider who will be the issuer of record for each badgebecause that impacts its credibility, value,and meaning

      No single individual should issue. Label issuers by department or department head.

    7. In this model, the smallest building block is not a course but a competency,and each is attached to a learning experience recognized by a digital badge

      Who is involved in identifying competencies?

    8. The first step in constellation design is to consider what kind of achievements a badge might represent.

      Video game ability trees

    9. Does each badge serve a greater purpose than itself? What doors does it unlock for earners?

      No idea.

    10. Create a badge constellation.

      Get the whiteboards out.

    11. Do your digital badges provide official certification recognizinglearning that ismore granular, formative,or incremental?

      Levelling? What milestones are there in place which lead to a badge certification?

    12. An earned badgecommunicates a great deal about the earner, the organization that issued it, the relationship between the two, and those that seek, accept,or endorse the badge as a valued credential or certification.

      How will the district - or Instructional Leadership at step one - recognize these efforts?

    13. As such, when developing new recognition and credential systems, the focus should not center squarely on the badge itself but on contemplating what experiences and assessments are worth certifying and on the rewards or benefits those inputs should unlock.

      What is the endgame for putting these out? How do they align with our Phased approach? Should we go back and retroactively add badges for completing each phase?

    14. The University of Notre Dame
    15. gather, evaluate, and use

      It's nice that these are grouped into umbrella categories.

    16. nvestment of time by multiple stakeholders to ensure a meaningful mapping of outcomes and credentials

      Who else do we need to loop in? What "cross-curricular" opportunities are there for teachers?

    17. incorporate authentic evidence

      A lesson plan, a recorded lesson...something involving creating a learning experience for students.

  9. Feb 2017
    1. Even lectures by “star” faculty were no match for active-learning sections taught by novice instructors:

      What weight is put on "star" faculty? Years of service? publications? popularity?

    2. MOOC advocates also failed to appreciate the existing body of knowledge about learning online, built over the last couple of decades by adventurous faculty who were attracted to online teaching for its innovative potential, such as peer-to-peer learning, virtual teamwork, and interactive exercises.

      When you're isolated to your realm, it's easy to forget that other people work on the same ideas in different ways.

    1. A classification algorithm is an example of a supervised machine-learning algorithm, meaning that the potential outcomes are known beforehand.

      This is a huge point. Michigan is facing a lawsuit based on an automated system declaring whether or not someone is committing welfare fraud because of an unsupervised sorting algorithm. 20,000 people over three years had legitimate benefits stalled or revoked.

    1. The internal water potential of a plant cell is more negative than pure water because of the cytoplasm’s high solute content

      As solute increases, potential decreases.

    2. The energy in the hydrogen bonds between solute molecules and water is no longer available to do work in the system because it is tied up in the bond. In other words, the amount of available potential energy is reduced when solutes are added to an aqueous system.

      Because the energy in the bond is tied up, it cannot do anything else (heat up the water, dissolve more solute, etc). This is why potential decreases as solute increases.

    3. When this happens, water moves to equilibrate, moving from the system or compartment with a higher water potential to the system or compartment with a lower water potential.

      Because we know the baseline, all water potential values will be positive or negative.

    4. The potential of pure water (Ψwpure H2O) is, by convenience of definition, designated a value of zero

      You can think about this as a baseline. If pure water's potential is zero, any movement due to osmosis is attributed to the presence of solutes.

    5. water potential is the difference in potential energy between a given water sample and pure water

      Our system was a cell in a solution. Water moves based on differences in potential energy.

    6. Cholesterol

      Review: which class of molecule is this? How can you identify it visually?

    7. a very fine needle can easily penetrate a plasma membrane without causing it to burst

      Essentially, the needle has a small enough diameter that it can "push" the phospholipids aside without causing enough damage to rupture the membrane.

    8. it allows the immune system to differentiate between body cells (called “self”) and foreign cells or tissues (called “non-self”

      "Autoimmune disorders" like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and celiac disease are caused by your immune system not recognizing the "self" of your body cells.

    9. They are always found on the exterior surface of cells and are bound either to proteins (forming glycoproteins) or to lipids (forming glycolipids

      This is important!

    10. and their hydrophobic membrane-spanning regions interact with the hydrophobic region of the the phospholipid bilayer

      Again, think back to what you know about protein structure. Different regions of the molecule, because of the amino acid sequence and initial folding (1st, 2nd degree) causes the protein to fold (3rd degree) in a specific pattern with specific qualities.

    11. which has no charge

      Why do fatty acids tend to be nonpolar in general? Think about the chemical structure!

    12. both inside and outside the cell

      It's a phospholipid bilayer.

    13. amphiphilic

      amphiphilic means it has a two-sided nature.

    14. Cells exclude some substances, take in others, and excrete still others, all in controlled quantities

      Colloquially, "How to separate inside from outside without starving."

    1. Any time the words “significant” or “non-significant” are used.

      These terms are always backed up by a statistical test, not just intuition.

    2. but you also have to take notes

      The density of information in research is so high that annotation becomes a very important skill.

    3. I mean literally draw it. Include as much detail as you need to fully understand the work.

      Multiple modes of interaction with text can help form deeper understanding of the material.

    1. Why should labs be reserved for the sciences?

      This highlights a fundamental misunderstanding in the power of active learning, be it in a formal lab or by cultivating that practice in your classroom.

    2. Ask questions, observe, question our world, and, yes, experiment and gather data.

      So...pretty much run like a lab.

    3. Today’s undergraduates are different.

      This argument always puts me on guard. I don't necessarily buy that people are fundamentally different. Undergrads in the 20th century were just as driven to be active and make a change as undergrads in the 21st. The tools they use are functionally different, which is a completely different conversation.

    1. Question the text.

      I've found it helpful to go through and add these types of questions using Hypothes.is to A) model the habit and B) prompt annotation for students who are having a hard time.

    2. Oh, and I give them a handy dandy bookmark with suggestions.

      I've turned this into a PDF and SVG for displaying on the web or printing full page for anyone who is interested.

    1. Thinking that we have to enact the policies and practices of the grade levels above us in order to prepare our students for those levels is deeply flawed.

      "Preparing for the future" doesn't - and can't - mean "make it awful, with support, now."

    2. place those elements into their curriculum

      Curriculum is more than content knowledge. Where do we teach empathy? collaboration skills? positive life habits?

    3. While the brain and body's development have some universal milestones we all experience, both vary significantly person to person.

      It's amazing how much we talk about "equity vs equal" in education and then expect all students to be equal when they walk into our classrooms.

  10. Jan 2017
    1. Mitotic spindles are microtubule-based structures that separate chromosomes during mitosis. In most animals and fungal cells, spindle microtubules nucleate from centrosomes or spindle pole bodies. Plant cells lack such structured microtubule organizing centers, and some of their microtubules appear to nucleate from near the nuclear envelope, but very little is known about spindle formation in plants (reviewed in Bannigan et al., 2008). Vos et al. (pp. 2783–2797) provide evidence that, despite their differences, plant mitotic spindles could form via similar molecular mechanisms to those found in animals.

      Remember, in chromosome segregation, spindle fibers are created and organized by centrosomes in animal cells only. Plant cells lack centrosomes and the mechanism for spindle formations is not well understood.

    1. lead to mutations that may be passed forward to every new cell

      Is this always a bad thing? Why or why not?

    2. the death of a nearby cell

      Why would a cell be interested in dividing when it's neighbor dies?

    3. Regulation of the Cell Cycle by External Events

      Remember, everything that happens in the cell is regulated at multiple levels.

    4. is pulled rapidly toward the centrosome

      Why is it pulled quickly?

    5. At this time, the chromosomes are maximally condensed.

      Why is having the chromosomes highly condensed advantageous?

    6. karyokinesis

      karyo = "seed" (Greek, nucleus), kinesis = "movement."

    7. cytoskeleton

      This is one of the most interesting parts of cell structure. It isn't like a water balloon, with no structure. It is filled with a network of microtubules which provide structural support to every part of the cell.

    8. During interphase, the cell grows and DNA is replicated.

      This is chapters 15 and 16. Cross reference!

    9. two identical (clone) cells

      This is an asexual reproductive pattern for our somatic cells.

    10. Eukaryotic Chromosomal Structure and Compaction

      This is good review. Look back over your notes from the molecular genetics work we did back before break.

    11. natural variation found within a species.

      Why is this important in terms of the long-term survivability of a species?

    12. Homologous chromosomes are the same length and have specific nucleotide segments called genes in exactly the same location, or locus.

      These copies of genes on homologous chromosomes are alleles.

    13. A typical body cell, or somatic cell, contains two matched sets of chromosomes, a configuration known as diploid.

      "ploidy" refers to the number of sets of chromosomes in a cell. Humans have 23 sets for 46 total chromosomes. Because they're in pairs, we are diploid.

      There are other organisms that are triploid (three of each type) and even polyploidy (many).

    14. When more than two genes are being considered, the Punnett-square method becomes unwieldy

      The area of the square is exponential, so it grows very quickly.

    15. recessive X-linked traits appear more frequently in males than females.

      This is a clue for when you're determining the inheritance pattern of a particular trait!

    16. When a female parent is homozygous for a recessive X-linked trait, she will pass the trait on to 100 percent of her offspring

      This is because the female can only pass the X chromosome.

    17. (Note that different genotypic abbreviations are used for Mendelian extensions to distinguish these patterns from simple dominance and recessiveness.)

      In your case, as long as you're showing your thinking, use whatever notation you'd like. BUT, you should recognize the patterns.

    18. However, we know that the allele donated by the parent with green pods was not simply lost because it reappeared in some of the F2 offspring. Therefore, the F1 plants must have been genotypically different from the parent with yellow pods.

      This is why it is so important to follow a trait for multiple generations.

    19. Gene variants that arise by mutation and exist at the same relative locations on homologous chromosomes are called alleles.

      Remember, when DNA is replicated in cell division, the process is good, but not perfect. Sometimes these mutations make no difference. Other times they can dramatically alter the organism. This variation is an evolutionary advantage because certain traits will be selected for or against in a population.

    20. homologous

      homo = "same", logos = location.

      Homologous chromosomes are those which have the same general structure and location. They are the paired chromosomes in the cell.

    21. Mendel also proposed that plants possessed two copies of the trait for the flower-color characteristic

      Without an understanding of DNA transmission that we have now, why is this a logical assumption for Mendel to make?

    22. An example of a dominant trait is the violet-flower trait. For this same characteristic (flower color), white-colored flowers are a recessive trait

      Don't become confused - flower color is a classic example for codominance, but that is not a generalization that holds true in every case.

    23. reciprocal cross

      You'll also see this called a "back cross." It means the same thing.

    24. He allowed the F1 plants to self-fertilize

      This is the cross between two F1 individuals. Because pea plants self-fertilize, all he had to do was allow the plant to mature and then harvest seeds.

      In other organisms, like fruit flies, you have to specifically mate two F1 individuals to achieve the same results. Make sure you keep these procedural points in mind.

    25. Conventional wisdom at that time would have predicted the hybrid flowers to be pale violet or for hybrid plants to have equal numbers of white and violet flowers.

      This is why the null hypothesis is so important. By working under the assumption that colors will not blend, Mendel can avoid bias and work toward a meaningful result. In science, when you're wrong, you learn something.

    26. discontinuous variation

      Keep this in mind when you're talking about any type of inheritance. Mendel looked specifically at traits that had discontinuous variation - it was one or the other.

  11. Dec 2016
    1. which have a history which can be traced back for decades – they just appear fake.

      A big problem with this is that very few people take the time to trace the history and find the fakeness.

    2. In media theory, the ‘effects’ discourse describes how people reconceive themselves by representing themselves in carefully constructed imaginings – using the illusory power of names and naming.

      "Online persona" meets "personal branding."

    1. even simple algorithms have unintended consequences

      It's really eye-opening (and slightly scary) to see how your one- or two-step algorithm can generate the antithesis of the intended message and then try to reconcile Silicon Valley's assertion that tech is agnostic.

    2. Corrections rarely have the same viral reach as fake news and propaganda which are engineered for clicks, and each new deceptive post comes without the chain of comments that discredited the previous lies.

      I think we could all learn a lesson from the Pic Pedant on Twitter.

    3. We need to have our crap detectors on high alert, and double-check everything we can, especially if you find it popping back into your mind later.

      To be critical, we have to read, think, and process over time. I'm definitely guilty of casual scrolling, but I'm also much more careful about the quick retweet.

    4. That means they make it easy to get the “gist” of a “news” story without going to the actual article, and they attract attention away from the name of the source in their news story previews.

      This is huge. Pew's report this year said that 57% of American adults still watch TV for news (which includes cable), but in the 18-50 year old bracket, 50% are online. There is a significant shift toward news skimming over news reading.

    1. According to a report on “The Top 10 Companies Working on Education in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality,” one of the “top” applications “simulates a lecture hall in virtual reality.”

      Low fruit.

    2. Pokemon Go:

      I haven't heard much about Pokemon Go since June. Interesting how quickly that one died out.

    1. The model for DNA replication suggests that the two strands of the double helix separate during replication, and each strand serves as a template from which the new complementary strand is copied

      How does this make DNA a good candidate for the hereditary material? How does it act as a control mechanism in replication?

    2. The phosphate residue is attached to the hydroxyl group of the 5' carbon of one sugar of one nucleotide and the hydroxyl group of the 3' carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, thereby forming a 5'-3' phosphodiester bond.

      This is important when it comes to polymerizing nucleotide chains. Remember, all DNA/RNA is synthesized 5' -> 3'.

    3. phosphodiester

      Remember, an ester is a single bond across oxygen. So, a phosphodiester is two phosphates connected across an oxygen.

    4. he injected mice with the heat-killed S strain

      This is important because it serves as the experimental control. Using bacteria that has been killed shows that there is something other than a live cell that can transmit information.

    5. show that hereditary information could be transferred from one cell to another “horizontally,” rather than by descent

      Remember, there was a lot of speculation about what the hereditary material was. This is the first good indicator that DNA was that material.

  12. Nov 2016
    1. Some great tools for this include:

      A lot of these can be used to simply do digital what was done on paper. It's more than the app itself, it's implementation.

    2. purpose beyond the immediate completion of the activity.

      Outside the school walls, connecting with others in the world.

  13. Oct 2016
    1. mRNA, carries the message from DNA, which controls all of the cellular activities in a cell

      Why does a cell allow mRNA to move outside of the nucleus while the DNA stays inside?

    2. DNA Double-Helix Structure

      We'll revisit this portion when we do molecular genetics in depth.

    3. Adenine and guanine are classified as purines. The primary structure of a purine is two carbon-nitrogen rings. Cytosine, thymine, and uracil are classified as pyrimidines which have a single carbon-nitrogen ring as their primary structure (Figure).

      The ring structure determines the number of hydrogen bonds which form between the base pair strands. You don't need to memorize which bases are which, but you should know the difference between the purines and pyrimidines.

    4. decreases the hydrogen ion concentration in its environment

      Remember, the converse is having high H+ ion concentrations, which makes an acidic environment. Watch what is releasing hydrogen (acid) vs accepting hydrogen (base) to determine the type of solution that forms.

    5. Cholesterol is also the precursor of bile salts, which help in the emulsification of fats and their subsequent absorption by cells.

      Emulsification is the process of breaking large lipids down into smaller globules that can be metabolized by lipase enzymes.

    6. steroids have a fused ring structure

      Remember, carbohydrates can also form rings. How is the bonding between carbohydrate rings different than steroid rings?

      These are the subtle differences that help you identify molecules correctly on the exam.

    7. Many vitamins are fat soluble

      Based on this, are vitamins polar or nonpolar? How do you know?

    8. Unsaturated fats help to lower blood cholesterol levels whereas saturated fats contribute to plaque formation in the arteries.

      How does the structure contribute to the plaque that can build up?

    9. During this ester bond formation,

      An ester is a C-O-C bond.

    10. hydroxyl (OH) groups

      Hydroxyl groups are used to identify alcohols.

    11. largely nonpolar in nature

      What role in the body would lipids play if they're nonpolar? Why might it be important that they're nonpolar to perform their function?

    12. In these animals, certain species of bacteria and protists reside in the rumen (part of the digestive system of herbivores) and secrete the enzyme cellulase.

      Which type of symbiotic relationship is this? Making these kinds of links in your notebook will help you remember material and write more detailed responses on the exam.

    13. As shown in Figure, every other glucose monomer in cellulose is flipped over, and the monomers are packed tightly as extended long chains. This gives cellulose its rigidity and high tensile strength—which is so important to plant cells

      Structure and function!

    14. Amylose and amylopectin are two different forms of starch. Amylose is composed of unbranched chains of glucose monomers connected by α 1,4 glycosidic linkages. Amylopectin is composed of branched chains of glucose monomers connected by α 1,4 and α 1,6 glycosidic linkages. Because of the way the subunits are joined, the glucose chains have a helical structure. Glycogen (not shown) is similar in structure to amylopectin but more highly branched.

      How might the function of amylose and amylopectin differ in the plant cell based on their structure?

    15. Monosaccharides

      Remember, this describes the carbohydrate unit, not the number of carbons in the monomer.