Stop trying to figure out if screentime is good for students

Brian Finke for The New York TimesYou may have read the recent New York Times story No Child Left Untableted. Like others before it (Seeing no progress, some schools drop laptops), these stories have the wrong focus. They narrow in on the tool itself, and draw apocalyptic conclusions -- Technology May Be Destroying Children! -- rather than drawing attention to the goal of the learning experience, and how the tool may best help achieve it. Conducting...

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If you're not preparing your students to use social media well, you're not doing your job

Our students are living in a world where more than 90% of employers use social media for recruiting.  If students are not savvy users of social media, they can kill their chance of getting many jobs. In fact 1 in 3 employers said candidates weren't hired because of something they said online. On the other hand, students can use social media to shine. Innovative educators are tasked with helping them do just that. The first step in leading our students in this online journey is to ensure they understand and know the numbers.  The below...

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Addressing the #bullying problem starts with adults

Editor's note:  October is National Bullying Prevention Month. It was created to raise awareness about bullying prevention. This post brings attention to a problem that we sometimes forget or are too uncomfortable to discuss. Bullying does not discriminate based on age.  If you know better, you can do better. Don't sit by and watch on, stand up and speak out when you notice someone is the target of bullying.  Educators and parents...

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The hottest posts everyone's reading

Here’s the roundup of what's been popular on The Innovative Educator blog. Below you’ll see the top posts along with the number of page views. I hope there's something that looks of interest to you.  If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired use one of those icons below the post to share it with others and/or leave a comment. Posts Views 5 Ways To Open Up Learning & Engage Students 1891 Oct 15, 2013,  5 ideas for #ConnectedEducators to connect student... 1699 Oct 4, 2013,  Junk isn't...

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Ideas for supporting #TeacherEffectiveness with #EdTech - Domain 3

Technology provides teachers with a great way to provide evidence with artifacts of their effective practice. Across the country this has been a priority for schools that are incorporating a teacher evaluation based on the Danielson Framework. The model contains various components organized into the following four domains.Domain 1: Planning and PreparationDomain 2: The Classroom EnvironmentDomain 3: InstructionDomain 4: Professional ResponsibilitiesThis...

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Has Google replaced teaching?

Student to teachers at #tltf13 "You don't need to teach us. That is what Google is for." #StuVoice #edchat— Lisa Nielsen (@InnovativeEdu) October 18, 2013This is what a passionate student told a room full of educators at the 2013 Tech Forum in New York in response to a question from social studies teacher Melissa Seideman. She was asking how Digital Native students prefer learning when it comes to technology use.Other students chimed in telling...

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NYC DOE teacher featured for blazing trails in social media

The United Federation of Teacher's paper recently highlighted the work of NYC DoE teacher, Janet Elias who teaches technology at PS 46 in Queens. You can see the piece here. I had the pleasure of having Ms. Elias in a class recently where she showed me how they create excitement about learning via the respectful and responsible use of social media.  Here is a fantastic bulletin board she and her students created.At her school, students learn...

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Ideas for supporting #TeacherEffectiveness with #EdTech - Domain 2

Technology provides teachers with a great way to provide evidence with artifacts of their effective practice. Across the country this has been a priority for schools that are incorporating a teacher evaluation based on the Danielson Framework for Teacher Evaluation. The model contains various components organized into the following four domains.Domain 1: Planning and PreparationDomain 2: The Classroom EnvironmentDomain 3: InstructionDomain...

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The hottest posts everyone's reading

Here’s the roundup of what's been popular on The Innovative Educator blog. Below you’ll see the top posts along with the number of page views. I hope there's something that looks of interest to you.  If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired use one of those icons below the post to share it with others and/or leave a comment.PostViewsWhat's your digital footprint? Take this quiz and ...Apr 9, 2013, 28205 ideas for #ConnectedEducators to connect student...Oct 4, 2013, 1693Increase teacher effectiveness with eduClipperSep 18, 2013, 1528Junk...

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6 Ways Graphite™ Supports Teachers Implementing #CCSS

Here what teachers have to say here.I recently shared that Graphite, a new, free service from Common Sense Media provides rigorous ratings and reviews of apps, games, websites, and digital curricula. This allows teachers and school leaders to connect in important ways to make informed decisions about which technology to integrate into the curriculum via reviews and “Field Notes” written by innovative educators who are using these products in the...

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4 Ways Graphite Review Program Connects Educators #CE13

Ever wonder which app or website would be best to meet your student’s learning objectives? What better way to find out than to connect with other educators using these resources? Well now you can do just that. Graphite, a new service from Common Sense Media, features over 500 reviews of apps and websites, rated for learning potential with tips for how to integrate them into your curriculum. But, it’s not only a place to learn about resources....

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5 Ways To Open Up Learning & Engage Students

Guest post by David Price“Dave Price casts a penetrating light on how the new dynamics of digital culture are transforming not only on how we work and play but how we think, feel and learn.” -Sir Ken RobinsonWhen my eldest son was 13, I used to drag him out of bed each morning to go to school. Eventually I learned the reason for his excessive tiredness. He was taking part in internet chat shows on his (then) interest in libertarian politics. Not listening  to, but taking part. I wanted to say ‘but school is more important’ but all I could...

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Ideas for supporting #TeacherEffectiveness with #EdTech - Domain 1

Technology provides teachers with a great way to provide evidence with artifacts of their effective practice. Across the country this has been a priority for schools that are incorporating a teacher evaluation based on the Danielson Framework for Teacher Evaluation. The model contains various components organized into the following four domains.Domain 1: Planning and PreparationDomain 2: The Classroom EnvironmentDomain 3: InstructionDomain 4: Professional ResponsibilitiesThis is part of a four-part series where I'll share some simple...

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The hottest posts that everyone's reading

Here’s the roundup of what's been popular on The Innovative Educator blog. Below you’ll see the top posts along with the number of page views. I hope there's something that looks of interest to you.  If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired use one of those icons below the post to share it with others and/or leave a comment. Entry Pageviews 3 people & 3 ideas for using Twitter to share...Sep 8, 2013, 2102 What's your digital footprint? Take this quiz and ...Apr 9, 2013, 1753 Increase teacher effectiveness...

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