Teachers' resources

The networked teacher: Webliography for the networked teacher: resources, tutorials and guides

Teaching in the digital age: from chalkboards to iPad. My educational approach

The classroom is a perfect place to experiment because each new day, new semester, new year is an opportunity to be better. We need to be learners if we want our students to be learners, and some of the most exciting new ideas in education today, like the Flipped Classroom, are the result of innovative teachers experimenting to find better ways for students to learn.
Source: educatorstechnology.com

App per creare libri interattivi: http://www.technologybitsbytesnibbles.info/archives/6011

Teacher's Guide on The Use of Podcasting in Education. Source: educatorstechnology.com

With the introduction of podcasting , a new revolution emerged in the field of communication and in the way people share their knowledge. This revolution has extended to touch upon education with educators and teachers now using podcast as learning and teaching tools both in formal and informal instructional settings.
What is a Podcast ? According to the New Oxford American Dictionary a podcast is a " digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the internet for downloading to a personal audio payer." in other words, it is a digital audio file that is created, shared and heard. Podcast can also be in the form of videos streamlined online, however, video podcast is known as vidcast or vodcast. The great thing about podcast is that they can be watched or listened to anywhere and anytime and across different devices.

Educational Uses of Podcasts
Podcasts can be used for several educational purposes. Here are some of them :
Podcast are great alternatives for delivering research content or lessons to students who need remedial or extended support
Students can create their own podcast to share their learning experiences with each other and also with other students from other schools
Teachers can record audio podcast to provide additional and revision material to students to download and review at a time that fits them the best.
Podcast can hugely benefit auditory learners and help them in their learning
Creating podcast allows students to develop several important skills such as researching, writing, speaking effectively, solving problems, managing time, grabbing attention and improving their vocabulary.

How to create a podcast ? Creating a podcast is as easy as pie. Here are the main steps:

1- Recording: for this you will need a microphone and an audio recording software like the ones mentioned below. Every software has instructions to guide you through your recording process. Make sure you practice speaking till you get confident enough then start recording.

2- Test your Podcast: Always make sure you listen to your podcasts and redo the parts that you dont like until you finally get the vesrion you want then move on to the next step

3- Publish your podcast: You can use online platforms for publishing your podcasts. If you have a blog for your class you can publish it there , you can also submit it to the public podcast directory services such as iTunes Music Store, Podcast.net, OurMedia.org, Podcast Alley, or Podcast Pickle.

4- Promote/ publicize your podcast: Now that you have recorded and uploaded your podcast, you will have to start promoting it so that others know about it. This can be done through providing the podcast link ( URL of the page where it is hosted ) or through creating an RSS Feed document which will let users subscribe to your podcast.

Tools to create your podcast
Here are some of the softwares you might start with to create your podcasts:
1- Audacity
Audacity is a free, open source, cross platform software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for both Windows, Mac, GNU/Linux and other operating systems.
2- Garage Band
This is an Apple software that provides users with a great platform where they can record their audio files and share them with others.
3-Podomatic
This is another great web tool that lets you create, find and share podcasts with others
4- Odiogo
This one here transforms news sites and blog posts into audio files ready to download anywhere, anytime, on any device.

App per i docenti che usano l'iPad nelle loro lezioni

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/12/a-list-of-all-best-ipad-apps-teachers.html?m=0

Alcuni degli oggetti didattici che i miei studenti stanno realizzando e che saranno raccolti in un e-portfolio digitale

Source: educatorstechnology.com

Come preparo una lezione con l'iPad: le app educative che utilizzo

"flipped classroom in a BYOD environment". My. favorite educational approach

a. What Is the flipped classroom?
Instead of receiving lecture during their class period, students learn the material via video instruction at their own pace and interact with their classmates and teacher(s) online. As a result, class time is spent troubleshooting and honing student comprehension – helping the teacher assume the role of a facilitator or coach.

b. How Does Ed Tech Help Make This Possible? Advancements in technology have allowed the flipped classroom to become interactive. Although it is technically possible to “flip” a classroom in an analog sense, it’s the collaborative student community and multimedia-rich experience that have made this technique successful. It also puts the tools students are accustomed to right in their hands (and minds) as vehicles for learning, not just leisure.

La metodologia che utilizzo: la flipped classroom

L'approccio metodologico utilizzato e' la cosiddetta "flipped classroom",
un modello didattico che "rovescia" i consueti canoni dell’insegnamento . Da sempre, infatti, al mattino, a scuola, gli studenti ascoltano le lezioni degli insegnanti e, al pomeriggio, a casa, svolgono i compiti loro assegnati, sugli argomenti spiegati in classe. Con il Flip teaching il tutto viene ribaltato: gli studenti al pomeriggio, a casa, seguono le videolezioni (sul proprio PC o sui loro “mobile devices” ) ed il giorno dopo, a scuola, possono dedicarsi, sotto la guida del docente, a tutte quelle attività di approfondimento che sono solitamente riservate allo studio individuale.
Viene abbandonato quindi il tradizionale approccio LEZIONE a SCUOLA e COMPITI a CASA. Il docente, avendo già svolto la lezione sotto forma di vodcast inviato agli studenti, puo' infatti dedicare tutte le ore a scuola per attività di laboratorio, per rispondere ai quesiti degli studenti, per svolgere lavori di gruppo di approfondimento dell’argomento, per impostare momenti di ripasso/recupero.

1.La prima fase del Flip teaching: il Vodcast (breve videolezione).
2.La seconda fase: la distribuzione del Vodcast.
I Vodcast possono essere distribuiti attraverso il sito della scuola o possono essere inviati all'indirizzo e-mail della classe
3. La terza fase riguarda il lavoro in classe.
Gli studenti hanno guardato il vodcast a casa. A scuola, il giorno successivo, il tempo verrà allora dedicato al lavoro della classe con il docente, che ha il compito di "revisionare” l’apprendimento insieme agli studenti, a tradurlo in concreta esperienza operativa. Se nel Vodcast si erano trattati gli aspetti teorici, in classe si ha tutto il tempo per affrontare gli aspetti pratici : si risolvono problemi, si svolgono quiz, si fanno esperienze laboratoriali.
Riassumendo, la flipped classroom e':
- un modo per incrementare l'interazione e il tempo che il docente dedica ad ogni studente
- un ambiente di apprendimento in cui gli studenti diventano responsabili del loro processo di apprendimento
- un tipo di istruzione blended (lezione frontale + apprendimento in modalita' costuttivista)
- una classe in cui i contenuti sono sempre disponibili
- un luogo in cui gli studenti ricevono una effettiva istruzione personalizzata
Gli aspetti positivi del nuovo modello
- L'insegnante non è più un semplice “dispensatore di conoscenza”, ma assume la veste di “coach”, cioè di facilitatore della stessa. Può dedicare il suo tempo a scuola a lavorare nel concreto, in classe, con gli studenti, aiutandoli a risolvere i problemi che in precedenza dovevano svolgere, da soli, a casa. Così facendo, può verificarne i progressi, rispondere ai loro quesiti, aiutarli in un rapporto continuo e costante di 1 a 1.
Il tempo classe, liberato dalle lezioni, può esser utilmente dedicato ad altre attività quali progetti speciali, esercitazioni in laboratorio, approfondimenti specifici per gli studenti migliori e recuperi per i più deboli.
- il docente puo' utilizzare gli strumenti Web 2.0 per scopi didattici specifici, favorire il cooperative learning ed eliminare il vincolo della classe spazio-temporale: infatti, gli studenti assenti possono mantenersi al passo con la classe, grazie ai materiali didattici messi a loro disposizione dall'insegnante

Source: http://ospitiweb.indire.it/adi/Conv2012Lecce_atti/Cecchinato/c2LCg_frame_dir.htm

20 Critical Vocabulary Terms for EdTech. The digital classroom

The following are 24 Ed-Tech Terms That All Educators Should Know:


1. 1:1 Technology. Providing every student with a labtop or tablet to make learning more individualized, increase independence, and extend academics beyond the classroom.

2. Adaptive Learning. Software that adapts its content and pacing to the current knowledge level of the user, so it’s almost like having a personal tailor for your education.

3. Asynchronous Learning. A student-centered teaching method that uses online resources to facilitate learning without requiring students and instructors

4. Blended Learning. Mix one part students learning at school and one part students engaging with content delivered online. Blend well for results. Optional — adjust when, where, and how the students use the online content.

5. Course Management System (CMS). Class websites can be a big undertaking. A CMS keeps teachers and students organized with digital resources for class discussion, document management, homework submission, and course scheduling.

6. Differentiated Learning. Programs or tools to present learning materials in creative ways that match every student’s individual learning style, from typical lectures to fun games and quizzes. Though the tools used depend on the student, the learning goals are the same for all.

7. Digital Storytelling. Once upon a time (2012), there were students and instructors who used digital tools to tell exciting stories in educational ways, like showing off research or building course assignments.

8. E-Books. Put down your highlighters and Post-Its, e-books are completely digital and are usually read on computers or e-readers.

9. E-Learning. A web-based learning environment that allows instructors and students to interact through the computer without worrying about time or place.

10. Electronic Classroom. A classroom equipped with multimedia devices to enhance the learning experience.

11. Flipped Classroom. Wouldn’t it be convenient to do your homework at school? In a flipped classroom, students learn lessons at home with the help of videos or other instructional materials and spend their valuable classroom time doing assignments with help from their instructor.

12. Gamification. Let the games begin! Using game design and mechanics to drive motivation and increase engagement in learning.

13. Individualized learning. When a group of students all receive the same content but work through it all at their own pace — anything from slow and steady to fast and furious.

14. Informal Learning. Learning that occurs outside a traditional school, i.e. forget having to lug around that heavy backpack.

15. Instructional Technology. Combining education and technology to enhance a curriculum. Instructors can alter how they deliver content to students depending on the technology available at their school.

16. Learning Platform. An interactive online service organized around a specific topic that gives users the ability to submit and receive information and learning materials.

17. Lifelong Learning. There’s no rule that says learning stops after a certain age. Lifelong learning continues education informally for personal enrichment, usually after finishing formal education.

18. Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). A course in which materials and instruction are delivered over the internet to users around the world. The course is designed to connect instructors with learners interested in a common topic and works best with a large user-base and open content.

19. Open Educational Resource (OER). Digital materials available for reuse and repurposing in teaching, researching, and learning. These materials are made available through open licenses that allow them to be used through means not permitted under copyright, so the flow of knowledge is boundless.

20. Online Lab. Students learn almost exclusively online, and do so while logging in from a physical school setting. No lab coat or goggles required.

21. Personalized Learning. Unfortunately not all about monogrammed notebooks and book bags — it’s learning entirely geared toward the individual student. The content, pace, structure, goals of instruction vary depending on the student’s learning habits.

22. Synchronous Online Learning. A real-time learning situation in which immediate, two-way communication between instructor and participants in possible.

23. Virtual Classroom. An online space where students and instructors interact. Not to be confused with a video game, though engagement definitely improves if students think of it as one.

24. Virtual Learning Environment. An education system online that mimics real-world education by using virtual concepts for exams, assignments, classes, and more.

Sources:

http://www.edutechintegration.net/2012/12/20-critical-vocabulary-terms-for-edtech.html

http://www.schoolleadership20.com/forum/topics/24-ed-tech-terms-you-should-know

https://s3.amazonaws.com/infographics/Digital+Classroom.png

Come lavorano i miei studenti. Esempio di cooperative learning. Fasi del lavoro

Using iPad at school. Bringing technology into the classroom

webliography
Today, we live in a high-tech, global economy. Technology, the Internet, the World Wide Web, search engines, hand-held electronic devices, and social media all put us in touch with people, places, information, and ideas -- instantly, and all the time. Technology has opened access to the world and provided a world of resources for both teachers and students.

Our world and our expectations are changing rapidly. The skills our students need to succeed are dramatically different today from what students needed 10 years ago. To prepare our students for success in the 21st century and transform education for the 21st century, we need to rethink learning and take advantage of all of the resources available to us.
One step in transforming education is welcoming technology into the classroom -- not as a tool, a resource, or an add-on, but as an essential element in the process of teaching and learning.

Source: The Huffington Post

WEBLIOGRAPHY

The skills the 21st century teacher should have:
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/07/what-does-it-take-you-to-be-21st.html?m=1

62 creative ways to use iPad:
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/10/62-ways-to-use-ipad-with-your-students.html

100 free apps for teachers:
http://pinterest.com/medkharbach/free-ipad-apps-for-teachers/

Bloom's taxonomy apps:
http://issuu.com/ktenkely/docs/lg_alpha?mode=mobile

Web tools for teachers:
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/12/top-web-tools-for-teachers-in-2012.html

http://asp-uk.secure-zone.net/v2/index.jsp?id=639/684/1619&lng=en

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/06/33-digital-skills-every-21st-century.html

http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2012/12/24-ed-tech-terms-you-should-know

Digital pedagogy
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/10/21st-century-learning-explained.html?m=1

video tutorials
http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/09/great-video-tutorials-on-flipped.html?m=1