How digital learning is becoming the fourth literacy

Reading. Writing. Math. Those are the big ones, right? Up until recently, a lot of people would have probably said that was correct, Edudemic reports. But since it is 2013 and so much of our lives happen online, digital literacy is being added to the list. Not that this should come as any sort of surprise to most of us, since most teachers spend vast amounts of time in classrooms surrounded by technology. Technology that both teachers and students need to be literate in…

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Defining paperless 2.0

The transition to the 1:1 classroom regularly goes hand in hand with a call for teachers to go paperless, Edudemic reports.  The idea is a popular one for schools (and businesses) who can realize quick savings from reduced paper costs and offset the cost of the new devices. It can also be popular with teachers for a variety of conveniences when distributing and collecting materials.  But what about learning? Is moving to paperless a step forward or a high tech way of doing exactly what we have always done albeit electronically? In the initial stages of a 1:1, teachers begin to convert already existing materials into electronic copies. Copies become PDF’s or Google Docs. In most cases, these materials do not differ from what they were on paper…

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Where in the world do the most young people use technology?

Yesterday, we talked a bit about digital natives and digital immigrants, Edudemic reports. I mentioned at the beginning of that post that I got into thinking about this after reading an article that discussed which countries have the most digital natives. The article was pretty interesting, and drew on information from the recent UN International Telecommunications Union (UTI) study that looked at the proportion of young people in each country that grew up with the internet. At first, I figured that the results of this study would be pretty obvious. First world countries with large populations and higher birth rates would be at the top of the list. After all, lots of kids + money for technology = more kids using technology, right? I was really interested when the results were not quite what I thought. If you’re interested, you can find a pdf of the entire UTI report here, but they have also created an infographic with some of the more interesting data points. Keep reading to learn more…

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Teacher vs student: How each actually uses social media

At some point in my life, a few years back, Facebook became much less…interesting to me, Edudemic reports. Much less cool, even. I thought it was me. I assumed I was getting old and that my friends, acquaintances, and I were just doing less interesting stuff. Or maybe just posting about more boring stuff? It turns out I was right – at least according to the handy infographic below, which details how both teachers and students view some of the more popular social media platforms. Facebook is for old people (according to students) – so I wasn’t too far off. I’m old (apparently). And with just about the expected amount of no surprise, teachers and students see each platform quite differently. Teachers’ favorites are not student favorites, and vice versa. And those that are popular with both are not necessarily for the same reasons…

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7 signs your school needs a technology makeover

Every teacher has a technology wishlist, Edudemic reports. Whether you have one computer in your classroom or thirty iPads, there’s always a little something that we wish we had to make something a little more fun or a little easier. Sometimes, our really slow computers or lack of resources really make us wish for a technology makeover. This fun infographic from We Are Teachers showcases seven tongue-in-cheek signs that your school might need a technology makeover. They created this awhile back when they were running a contest for a technology makeover, but the humor in them still rings true today. For those of you dealing with eight year old computers and chalk boards that use real chalk in your classrooms, you’ll surely get a laugh…

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6 reasons to try mobile devices in the classroom

Looking at the recent advancement in computer and technology, the education system seems more organized and systemic than ever, Edudemic reports. Considering this aspect, one can easily predict a more technology-based classroom environment that will benefit both the teachers and students in future. Tablets and Smartphones have reinforced this ideology further by introducing new ideas and concepts in the traditional ways of schooling. Now students can learn in a more flexible and self-paced environment without any hurdles with resources – time, people, space and money. This has resulted in an efficient and faster way to learn and grow within a particular field of study. Here I will inform you about some important benefits that you can avail using Tablets, Smartphones and other mobile devices in the classroom. Here they are…

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How EdTech is now being used in music classrooms

A few months ago (and more recently), we asked for your help: we wanted real-life teachers to share what was happening in their classrooms technology-wise, says Edudemic. And share you did! We heard from so many of you, and we’re going to be sharing your classrooms with our fabulous readers starting…today! I don’t know about you guys, but I find it so insightful to see what other folks are out there doing. Sometimes they mention a tool they use or an application for a particular device that I hadn’t thought of, and I wish I had been able to think of that particular thing so much earlier! This is why collaboration is so awesome, and important…

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How to build powerful tech-infused lesson plans

More and more educators are leveraging technology in their classrooms, which is one aspect of being a 21st century teacher helping their students (and probably themselves, too) to develop 21st century skills, Edudemic reports.  Finding a combination of the most useful devices, web tools, and apps can be a powerful learning tool for your students. But leveraging technology in such a way that it helps your lesson rather than being the focus of your lesson isn’t always easy, especially when you’re using apps that focus on specific topics. Its so easy to look at the material in the app as being the lesson. On the other hand, the technology can also end up being an afterthought, which is also less than idea, just on the other end of the spectrum. So how do you go about creating 21st century lesson plans that leverage the technology to support your lesson without being your lesson?

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2 basic ways how to add technology to your curriculum

We know that many of our readers are already integrating a lot of technology into their classrooms, Edudemic reports. We hear from a lot of readers who are doing awesome stuff, along with a slew of people who are offering innovative products and classroom technology solutions. But using technology in the classroom is not easy or second nature for everyone. Some educators face the funding and accessibility issue – having to work with less technology than they’d like, while others are simply in a great comfort zone doing what they’ve been doing for many years in their classrooms…

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How to flip an online course

Flipping the classroom isn’t just for those who are teaching in a physical classroom with their students right in front of them, Edudemic reports. Online learning presents its own unique set of challenges as it is, so flipping the online classroom might seem out of the question. But when you take a step back and look at it, it really is quite feasible! The handy infographic below (from the ever-useful Mia MacMeekin) takes a look at how you can flip your online classroom. She offers some great tips and tricks to get you started. Keep reading to learn more…

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7 powerful STEM resources for girls

The statistics surrounding STEM education and jobs in the US are rather staggering to me, Edudemic reports. The latest that I’ve read indicate that US students are still trailing WAY behind other nations in Science and Math education (US ranks 47th in Math and Science education quality, and 78% of high school graduates don’t meet the standard levels for at least one entry level STEM class). To top it off, there’s a pretty strong gender divide in the STEM subjects: Many fewer girls are interested in even studying these subjects, and they don’t feel at all confident about their skills…

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