Sat.Mar 16, 2024 - Fri.Mar 22, 2024

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What’s a Backchannel and Is it Right For Your Class?

Ask a Tech Teacher

A backchannel refers to a secondary, often informal, communication channel that runs parallel to the main communication channel. In the classroom, it provides students with an outlet to: ask questions when the teacher is talking–isn’t at a lesson point where she can pause engage in conversation with other students without disturbing the class add comments to a conversation even after the class has moved on in the lesson plan.

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Can AI Aid the Early Education Workforce?

ED Surge

Since ChatGPT was released in November 2022 and exploded into public discourse, the emergence of generative AI tools has been met with both excitement and concern, across virtually every industry, ideology and age group. Today, the use of this technology in education settings is underway, and states are even beginning to release guidance on how to navigate AI in schools.

Education 330
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Top 7 Benefits of Play-Based Learning In Early Childhood Education

Accelerate Learning

The idea of a play-based curriculum may sound counterintuitive. “Play” suggests giving children free rein to explore and discover based on their own interests and curiosities. Some teachers may use it as a natural brain break in their classrooms and brief pause to academic instruction.

Education 246
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AI Webinar: Artificial Intelligence in the Educational and the Learning Landscape

Cool Cat Teacher

From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter Artificial Intelligence is the topic of conversation for anyone who cares about learning, scholarship, and the future of our world, and rightly so. The job losses are supposed to be staggering. The World Economic Forum predicted in 2020 that AI would take away 85 million jobs ; however, this powerful phenomenon would create 97 million new jobs.

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Can Brain Science Actually Help Make Your Training & Teaching Stick?

Speaker: Andrew Cohen, Founder & CEO of Brainscape

The instructor’s PPT slides are brilliant. You’ve splurged on the expensive interactive courseware. Student engagement is stellar. So… why are half of your students still forgetting everything they learned in just a matter of weeks? It's likely a matter of cognitive science! With so much material to "teach" these days, we often forget to incorporate key proven principles into our curricula — namely active recall, metacognition, spaced repetition, and interleaving practice.

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#9: How to Look Like a Photoshop Pro–in Fifth Grade

Ask a Tech Teacher

Before trying this lesson, start with Photoshop for Fifth Graders: The First Step is Word, Autofixes , cloning , and cropping. Don’t worry. It’s not hard–just the basics. Ready? Let’s start with what Adobe Photoshop is–a grown-up KidPix, and the default photo-editing program for anyone serious about graphics. This series of projects (available in 55 Technology Projects for the Digital Classroom Volume I ) introduces students to a traditionally-challenging program in an easy to understand

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CREST: Spring Primary STEM Projects

All About STEM

Spring is here – YES! It’s the perfect time for outdoor learning so we’ve brought together a list of CREST activities that fit the bill. (Don’t worry, most are great for indoors too – in case it rains!) CREST is a STEM enrichment programme for young people that inspires, enables and rewards open-ended project work.

Primary 167
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Engineering in Elementary School

Accelerate Learning

Integrating engineering concepts into elementary education is a crucial topic in this day and age. It's about preparing students for a future where technology and engineering are central. Exposure to engineering concepts at a young age boosts STEM learning and builds a problem-solving mindset, which is key for tomorrow's innovators. Engineering makes the world of technology clear and interesting to young learners.

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Keyboarding Pedagogy

Ask a Tech Teacher

Keyboarding for Youngers A while ago, I participated in an online discussion about keyboarding for kids. The host thought it would be a yawner, but any tech teacher knows keyboarding is a controversial subject. In my classroom, it’s the most-asked question from parents, concerns like: When do students start? What are some of the developmental considerations about keyboarding?

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Unlocking the Power of Creativity and AI: Preparing Students for the Future Workforce

ED Surge

Teaching creativity and creative thinking in K-12 has always been valued but often challenging to implement. Many standards and curricula don’t call out creativity explicitly, and teachers aren’t often trained on how to teach and assess creative thinking. As such, many students enter college and the workforce not having enough practice in key critical thinking skills that they need to be innovative problem-solvers and effective communicators.

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Harnessing The Power Of Math Manipulatives

Mathematics, a subject steeped in abstract concepts, often poses challenges to students, especially those in grades 5-10. But imagine a bridge that transformed this intricate maze into an interactive adventure.

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Organisations – Engaging Volunteers via STEM Ambassadors Community

All About STEM

If you’re an employer or organisation with STEM ambassadors, you can bring your volunteers together online via the STEM Ambassadors Community. The forum is the perfect place to create a group for you and your ambassadors to plan, chat, get feedback, brainstorm ideas and share resources.

STEM 167
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Books to Help Students Explore Body Image

Middle Web

As students experience physical and emotional changes as part of adolescent development, body image can become a complex and sensitive topic. Reading books that explore body image can help. Kasey Short shares some favorite titles and questions for reflection and discussion. The post Books to Help Students Explore Body Image first appeared on MiddleWeb.

Physics 131
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Tech Tip #5: Where Did the Taskbar Go?

Ask a Tech Teacher

In these 169 tech-centric situations, you get an overview of pedagogy—the tech topics most important to your teaching—as well as practical strategies to address most classroom tech situations, how to scaffold these to learning, and where they provide the subtext to daily tech-infused education. Today’s tip: Where Did the Taskbar Go? Category: PC, Keyboarding Q: Some programs hide the taskbar when they open.

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As a Principal, I Thought I Promoted Psychological Safety. Then a Colleague Spoke Up.

ED Surge

A few months ago, an assistant principal at my school gave me feedback I wasn’t prepared for. This colleague, who I manage, shared that during a recent meeting I had facilitated, my tone made them feel psychologically unsafe. Their words, and the description of their experience in the meeting left me stunned, confused and disappointed in myself. I kept thinking, “Me?

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Downloadable Design Briefs for an Integrative STEM Curriculum

These easy-to-use design briefs outline student objectives, challenges, and materials needed to complete each 30-minute to 4-hour lesson. ITEEA’s Integrative STEM curriculum, Engineering byDesign, includes many more standards driven hands-on activities just like these!

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CEC: Pfizer Breakthrough Science Resources

All About STEM

Breakthrough Science has been developed by science teachers from Academies Enterprise Trust, in collaboration with The Careers & Enterprise Company, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Pfizer. KS3 & 4 teachers and students can download this new set of digital resources based on the AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (8464) Specification.

Science 157
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PCAS Expansion, Growth, Research, and SIGCSE 2024 Presentations

Computing Education Research Blog

The ACM SIGCSE Technical Symposium is March 20-23 in Portland (see website here ). I rarely blog these days, but the SIGCSE TS is a reminder to update y’all with what’s going on in the College of Literature, Science, & the Arts (LSA) Program in Computing for the Arts and Sciences (PCAS). PCAS is my main activity these days. Here’s the link to the PCAS website , which Tyrone Stewart and Kelly Campbell have done a great job creating and maintaining.

Research 119
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Museum of Flight- Spacesuit Design Challenge 2024

Teach Science for All

The Museum of Flight has launched (get it?) a Spacesuit Design Challenge for K-12 students. The theme is “What will we wear in space?” Students must plan and draw their spacesuit and should be prepared to actually build their design.

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Playful Pedagogy: Gamer Types and Board Games for Inclusive Learning

ED Surge

Educators often find themselves exploring innovative approaches to enhance student learning, and one particularly creative pathway is integrating games and playfulness into the learning environment. Navigating this terrain requires a delicate balance, ensuring that the joy and engagement of games enhance rather than detract from educational objectives while aiming to foster an inclusive and responsive pedagogy.

Learning 304
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NEW: Development School Programme (Apprenticeships)

All About STEM

The NEW Apprenticeship Support & Knowledge for Schools & Colleges (ASK) Brochure is out now! Click to take a look and discover the fantastic activities and assemblies available, they’re FREE! ASK offers a range of activities for KS4 and KS5 students and alongside current opportunities listed in the brochure, a new programme has been introduced – The Development School Programme.

Schooling 157
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Solve It! For Kids

Career in STEM

Ever wonder how to map an underwater forest? Or what it takes to compose a symphony about space? Perhaps it would be fun to learn how we might one day communicate with astronauts on Mars? Or how people can restore their connection with water? And just what exactly would a person take with them on a journey to an “underwater spaceship’? All of these sound like pretty cool jobs don’t they?

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Allen Institute Open Science Sticker Contest 2024

Teach Science for All

It’s that time of year again! Time for aspiring artists to showcase their talents and creativity in the Open Science Week sticker design contest hosted by the Allen Institute.

Science 97
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Learning Designers Call for More User Testing of Edtech Products and Teaching Materials

ED Surge

These days there’s a wave of new edtech products hitting the market, and teachers and professors are increasingly making teaching videos and other materials for their classes. But one group is often left out of the design process: students. “Many educational products are never shown to students until they have already been designed,” said Elliott Hedman, a consultant who works with edtech companies, in a talk this month at the SXSW EDU festival.

EdTech 298
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Employers & Academic Institutions: Research Placements Video

All About STEM

Employers and Academic Institutions can inspire young people to gain STEM skills by hosting a Research Placement or Experience! Research Placements & Experiences are engaging, real-life research projects, where Year 12 students have the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution towards the work of a host organisation. Take a look at the video below.

Research 144
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Why I’m Keeping My Classroom Door Open

Middle Web

Dina Strasser has noticed a tangible impact when her classroom door is closed on a regular basis, as security suggests. "I am isolated, physically and socially." Students are less likely to wander in. Teachers to wave or stop by. So she's leaving it locked but open. Defiantly. The post Why I’m Keeping My Classroom Door Open first appeared on MiddleWeb.

Physics 96
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Helping Students Improve Their Handwriting

Teach Hub

Despite the widespread use of technology in the classroom, handwriting remains an essential skill for academic success. Cultivating neat penmanship among elementary students can prove challenging since students’ fine motor skills can develop at different stages. However, with a little practice and strategic encouragement, you can improve your student’s handwriting skills making them more legible.

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Schools Are Desperate to Stop Violence. Will These New Guidelines Help?

ED Surge

After the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, Virginia became the first state to require colleges to conduct threat assessments , later requiring K-12 schools to do the same. A method for schools to figure out which student threats foreshadow violence, threat assessment was adapted from the Secret Service. When following these methods, a team trained in the model will work to discern the extent to which a threat made by a student is actually menacing.

Schooling 276
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STEM Everyday #260 | Tinkercad Ideas & Help | feat. Mike Harmon

STEM Everyday Podcast

Mike Harmon is a “retired” middle school technology teacher from Michigan, but his real passion is sharing with kids & educators how to build and create in digital space! His YouTube channel @HLModTech is filled with over 4500 videos to help everyone from novice to expert master the skills for design software, especially Tinkercad. Mike even recently partnered with CADclass.org ( Ep 248 ) to create Tinkercad in Twenty Days ( [link] ).

STEM 62
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You Can Make Meetings More Productive

Middle Web

Meetings can waste time and resources. Education consultants Ronald Williamson and Barbara R. Blackburn’s strategies can help you avoid pitfalls and lead effective meetings with norm setting, planning, agenda setting, and options for decision making. Productivity tools included! The post You Can Make Meetings More Productive first appeared on MiddleWeb.

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A Study in Resilience; how students in Kenya gained confidence through coding

Thimble

In the heart of Kenya, a revolution in education is underway, marked by resilience and empowerment. As the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) takes root, students are embracing a new language - the language of coding. MaryMargaret Welch, alongside SeaVuria, has been a beacon of change for over 14 years, fostering teacher development and igniting a passion for STEM subjects.