Holt Think: Ed, Creativity, Tech, Administration

Students Using iPad iBooks Textbooks Score Nearly 10% Better on Test than Peers

“Education technology does not operate in a vacuum, and the research findings reinforce that with a supportive school culture and strategic implementation, technology can have a significant impact on student achievement… We’re encouraged by the results of the study and the potential of mobile learning to accelerate student achievement and deepen understanding in difficult to teach subjects like algebra.”

Image: http://tinyurl.com/7ckylav

Top Ten Twitter Hashtags for Educators – SimpleK12

From the Simple K12 Site: 

Check out my list of the top 10 Twitter hashtags for educators:

1. #edchat - This is hashtag that was created by Tom Whitby, Steven Anderson and Shelly Terrell for all educators to connect and share their ideas on. Every Tuesday at 12:00 pm EST and 7:00 pm EST they have a discussion on a topic that is voted on the day before.
2. #mlearning - This is a great hashtag to follow if you’re looking to incorporate moibile devices into your classroom. This feed will provide you with many ideas and connections with other educators doing similar things in their classroom.
3. #edtech - Under this hashtag you can find anything that has to do with technology in education. This is also a great place to find out about new web tools you can use with your students.
4. #ipaded - If you’re an educator with an iPad (or looking for a good reason to buy one), check out #ipaded. This stream highlights many iPad apps that are ideal for education.
5. #education - Here you can find information on anything and everything related to education- from standardized testing to new technology for teachers.
6. #mathchat - Not only can you always find a tricky math problem that needs solving on this stream, but you can also connect with all types of math teachers who you can collaborate and share ideas with.
7. #scichat - If you’re a science teacher you must check out #scichat. This stream will keep you up to date with everything happening in the science field, both related and unrelated to education.
8. #engchat - engchat takes place every Monday from 7-8:00 pm EST. Each week they cover a different topic that they highlight on their website.
9. #sped -Technology is revolutionizing special education. Check out #sped to learn about how education is changing and what technology is making it happen.
10.  #kinderchat… #6thchat - If you’re looking for grade specific content and lessons for your elementary students, check out any of the following hashtags- #kinderchat #1stchat #2ndchat #3rdchat #4thchat #5thchat #6thchat.

75+ Educational Games for Elementary

75+ Educational Games

GUDLI is a fantastic website for primary students offering 75+ educational games.

#elemchat #spedchat #kinderchat #1stchat #games #Gudli

GUDLI’s games are excellent for teaching and reinforcing skills. They are bright, colorful and include sound. Advertisements do not appear on the site.

Game categories include…

• Math
• Language Arts
• Science
• Puzzle
• Fun

(Source: kbkonnected)

80+ Articles about iPads in Education

world-shaker:

Plethora of resources out here, being updated on an ongoing basis (several at the top of the list were published within the last week).

How many of these can you do?

It’s been nearly two and half years since the publication of the first “10 internet technologies that educators should be informed about” article on this site and given the fast paced evolution of technology it’s time for an update. The start of new school year is the perfect time to refresh this list!

Below you will find updated information for 5 of the technologies from the original posting, and 5 new technologies that have earned their rightful place in the list (displacing 5 other types of tech, that while still worthy, are not quite as relevant today, IMHO). This is not intended to be a definitive listing, but rather an informed resource that provides insights and raises awareness. Lots of links to example apps and articles have been provided, so readers can learn more about each application category.

Seton Hill University’s iPad rollout – more insights from a model implementation

world-shaker:

This iPad rollout struck me as an exemplary case of doing this sort of thing right in the higher education setting. This is a very well thought out project, with robust executive support, and clear directives.

Agreed. They seem to have really covered their bases here. Really interesting read if you’re looking to roll out a program at your school.

A Workable Model for Sub-1:1 iPad Use

world-shaker:

stevekinney:

Fraser Speirs:

The iPad is designed to be owned and not shared. It is a personal device. This isn’t Apple screwing you over or ripping you off. It’s just the way it was designed. If you want a multi-user operating system, Mac OS X will do a fantastic job for you.

We’re going with one-to-one iPads with half of the seventh grade. The rest of the school is getting about five or six per room. Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know. Fraser argues that treating a cart full of iPads like a cart of laptops is a recipe for disaster. You’re pretty much asking for students to delete each other’s work, write nasty notes that need to be investigated by the dean, and other nonsense.

Instead, Fraser suggests that schools consider “chunking”—that is, providing a full one-to-one set to a class for a period of six to eight weeks or so.

What are the benefits? Well, it’s all the benefits of 1:1 technology but only for part of the year. Teachers can plan a substantial body of work around the idea that technology will be continuously available. Pupils can get used to the device and invest in it. Work can be produced on the iPad and kept there for the term without having to move it off the device at the end of every lesson.

It’s an idea.

This is actually a very good idea. Definitely storing this away in the mental archives for the next time someone asks.

BEHOLD: A Search Engine for Creative Commons Images

world-shaker:

No really you guys…it’s called “Behold.” See?

Behold is a search engine that is designed to help you find the best Creative Commons licensed images for your blog, slideshow, or video project. Behold searches the catalog of more than one million Creative Commons licensed images on Flickr. What makes Behold different from just searching by using the license filter on Flickr itself is that Behold searches not just by image tag but also by the quality of the content of the images.