Alice Barr's List: YHS Tech Ideas

"But coming down to the line, I've come to wonder if schools and districts could or should promote personal learning networks. My own notions of the concept have an individual, with specific and shifting problems and goals, crafting and maintaining an array of connections to information resources and other networked learners, generating new knowledge through the conversations that he or she engages in. ..and it's personal.

I am adjusting my focus away from PLNs and toward techniques for crafting a culture of learning in our schools and other learning environments."

"Do you ever wonder why we still have faculty meetings? Do you ever walk away from a meeting feeling refreshed and energized about what you just heard? Do you approach these meetings with excitement and genuine wonderment?

To me, a meeting is a very basic transfer of information. It usually involves a speaker or speakers distributing information to an audience of consumers who sit and passively take notes. What's missing? Audience engagement, processing, conversation, interaction, and collaboration -- all the valuable elements of learning. "

Lots of schools are talking about the importance of preparing their students for an increasingly inter-connected, Web-centric world. Here are some districts that are “doing” it. Some of their advice may be able to help the reader avoid mistakes, etc.

"With one billion monthly users (and growing), YouTube’s popularity is a pretty clear indication that video is a powerful medium. And kids’ unrelenting fascination with videos is motivating many educators to find ways to leverage them for all kinds of purposes.

But the best ways of using videos are not always obvious. Teachers want to know: Among all the millions of videos out there, how do you find the great ones? How do you evaluate the quality of a video? Who are the great content creators, and what are the best curation sites? Which kinds of videos work as fun supplements, and which are best for actual instruction? How do you get students engaged in discussion after watching videos? How do you blend videos into your curriculum?"

"Fostering High Quality Student Experiences through Projects"

Excellent article - could be used for class

"6 Creative Classroom Project Ideas"

Good suggestions for looking at student work and promoting feedback on practice