Eclectic Technology

Career and Technical Education programs (often called vocational schools) have their students learn by doing. Learning by doing is known as experiential learning. Why is experiential learning beneficial? Below are the three reasons described in this post.

Reason 1: Experiential education promotes positive attitudes towards learning.

Reason 2: Experiential education provides true-to-life experience that enhances career exploration.

Reason 3: Experiential education helps create more engaged members of the workforce.

Each of these reasons is discussed in the post. There is also an excellent infographic, Experiential Learning in the Classroom: Learn by Doing.

Jackie Gerstein has created a new website that explores the Maker Movement. If this is an area that you would like to explore you will find 10 areas that you can explore:

* Paper Circuits

* Squishy Cirtuits

* Bare Conductive Paint

* Sew Electrics

* Operation Game

* Toy Take Apart

* Soldering Projects

* LittleBits

* Makey Makey

* Hummingbird Robotics

Each of these areas leads to a webpage and the ones I checked out included a number of videos to help you understand the topic as well as some documentation and additional resources.

She also includes a brief video that helps you understand what the Maker Movement is (and you hear from learners involved in a number of projects). In addition there is a ThingLink (based on the image above) that provides  links to additional resources.

The Maker Movement provides learners with opportunities to create something that is new to them. It is authentic learning and learners will go through iterations as they work through the process, and potentially experience failure that will help them become successful.

One of my favorite videos on growth mindset is Carol Dweck sharing the word yet, specifically where she says that if a student says "I can't do that" she says to tell the student to say "I can't do that yet." To me that is a way to shift the culture of the classroom, where students learn that as time goes on what they are able to do things they could not before.

This post explores this culture of "can", sharing ideas on how you might move your classroom to reach this culture. Three areas are discussed.

1. Use the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model

This is a model that many of us may already use. The post describes it as "show me, help me, let me." In my school we talk about "I do, we do, you do."

2. Intentionally Use the Individual Student as a Culture-Maker

This requires that we find the time as we teach to "honor the contribution of others," specifically our students. Culture does not grow from a top down approach.

3. Diverse — and Authentic — Terms for Success

Creating a classroom that is learner centered, where students also have input to help create authentic learning.

More information on these concepts are in the post.

Talk about authentic learning, this post provides the model to help your students become engaged and motivated researchers. Train students in "statistics and research methods" and they can actively participate in research. The post provides details of this project (which is in New York) and may move you to see if you could bring this opportunity to your students.

Check out nine maker projects that you can do in your classroom. The projects are divided into three sections:

* Smaller Scale Maker Education Projects which includes

     - Towers of Power

     - Catapults

* Design Challenges

     - Bridge to Nowhere

     - Float the Boat

     - Egg Drop

     - Instruments

* Play with Light

      - Electromagnets

     - Squishy Circuits

     - MakeyMakey Controller Boards

Each of the projects includes a list of materials and tools needed as well as a brief explanation. Look over the ideas and consider having an evening where families could come in and experience hands-on science by completing a project (or two).

This visual on Inquiry Based Learning provides four questions in four areas:

* Pose real and valid questions

* Find the resources

* Interpret the information

* Report your findings

If you provide opportunities for learners to use inquiry based approaches this visual may be helpful for students to have as they work through the process.

Can teachers teach the Common Core standards and provide authentic learning so students are engaged? This post explores this issue and provides eight strategies for teaching in authentic ways. Below are four of the strategies.

* Make the standards fit into student interests.

* Teach students to question.

* Emulate effective risk taking.

* Be open to many answers.

For additional information the four strategies above and for four more click through to the post.

This post provides more than the 10 strategies to reach our students, it begins with a look at:

* Media Design in the 21st Century

* What it Means to be Authentic

* Media as Schema

* What "21st Century" Literature Teachers Do

and then moves on to the 10 strategies. Several of the strategies are below (quoted from the post). Click through to the post to read more.

* Use combinations of media–classic and modern together, leveraging one against the other

* Allow students to pick media while you pick themes and standards

* Insist all writing “leaves the classroom” and is published–then design units accordingly

What do you think the principles of mobile learning are? This post provide the following 12. Each of the principles (below) are discussed in the post.Do you agree with them or are there ones you would add (or delete)? Share your thoughts here (or on TeachThought). 

The list:

* Access'

* Metrics

* Cloud

* Transparent

* Play

* Asynchronous

* Self-Actuated

* Diverse

* Curation

* Blending

* Always-On

* Authentic