Prof.+Dev.

=A Space Devoted to Workshops, In-Services, Early Releases, and Other Professional Development Work=

//(In Other Words, "Students? These Are Not the Resources You Are Looking For. Move Along... Move Along...")//
=rss url="feed://flight307markii.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default" link="true" description="true" number="10" date="true" author="true" enclosure="true"= = = = 6/23&24/10 Summer Tech 2010 =

=Differentiation in a Digital World= media type="custom" key="6434019"

Defining Differentiation

 * Carol Ann Tomlinson's Take Here

Unlocking Identity
A nice and tidy overview of Gardner's MI theory and a great self-assessment tool to determine strengths and receive suggestions for building capacity in relative weaknesses. Here Another MI overview and assessment -- take a look and see what components I wish were prevalent in the other MI assessment tool. Here Provides an overview of the various learning styles, if not the most easily navigated overview. Includes a nice multiple choice survey tool to assess one's learning styles according to this researcher. Here
 * [|Multiple Intelligence Overview & Self-Assessment]
 * [|Multiple Intelligence Overview & Assessment - Visual Results]
 * [|Learning Styles Overview and Assessment]

Differentiating Content
Located at the Big Ideas site, home of Grant Wiggins theories, here is a link that takes you to a list of other links revolving around essential questions and crafting good ones.
 * [|Big Ideas & Essential Questions]

Remember, just as there are many ways to differentiate process, there are many ways to differentiate content and one of the most fundamental revolves around the big thinking goals students may have in the classroom. Here

A solid source -- if not the prettiest thing to look at. Here
 * [|Jamie McKenzie & Essential Questions]

Another tremendous resource at Marvel, Encyclopedia Brittanica allows one to search three different grade level and readability levels of information at once.
 * [|Encyclopedia Britannica]

It is important to learn how to cut and paste from the site so as not to create a stigma for students, but the tool is excellent for finding that content. Here

One of the best databases in MARVEL, Maine's Virtual Library, Novelist lets you search for titles based on a wide variety of criteria including Lexile scores and themes. There is also a Novelist K-8 available. Here
 * [|Novelist]

Music site that allows you to build radio stations based on interest. Here
 * [|Pandora]

Differentiating Process
This is a seemingly reliable chart of the various concept mapping and mind mapping applications available out in InternetLand. Here
 * Online Concept Mappers & Brainstorming Apps

A school district in Maryland has a wealth of solid information, explanations, and suggested approaches to differentiating the learning process in classrooms across the content areas.
 * [|Montgomery Co. Instructional Strategies Site]

For some quick and easy tools, scroll to the bottom of the list of topics. Here

While this site has background on student identity and assessment, it does an excellent job presenting a variety of philosophies and pedagogical approaches one could use in the name of differentiating process (and content and product for that matter). Here
 * [|Teach-Nology's Differentiated Instruction Site]

Enhance Learning's collection of graphic organizers which is cool, but made that much better by outlining specific strategies and processes to use around them. Just make sure you scroll down. Here
 * [|Graphic Organizers & Strategies in which to Use them]

The materials here are intended for use in professional development situations and are amazing tools in the regular classroom. There is a lot here to go through and serve as very effective springboards into work to do with our students. Here
 * [|National School Reform Faculty: Protocols]

Differentiating Product
Some solid one-stop shopping for exploring issues of assessment and looking at a wide range of exmplars across the grade levels and content areas. Here
 * [|The Authentic Assessment Toolbox]

Kathy Schrock's sites have become keystones in searching the web for quality resources. Here one finds numerous links related to rubric and assessment design. Here
 * [|Kathy Schrock's Assessment & Rubric Design Links]

Edutopia, the LucasFoundation's education organization, has a tremendous wealth of information and uses each of its major areas as gateways to exploring related subject matter. A great place to start looking for ideas and perspectives on authentic assessment and how to differentiate product. Here
 * [|Assessment at Edutopia]

A healthy preview of Arter and McTighe's 2000 text on rubric design. I don't subscribe to all of their points, but certainly see a lot of helpful suggestions here. (The words 'always' and 'never' are red flags for me and they get used liberally here. Suprising considering McTighe isn't usually one for absolutes.) Here
 * [|Scoring Rubrics in the Classroom]

Some people use Rubistar for online rubric building. For my money, this one blows Rubistar out of the bathtub. Here
 * __iRubric__

Technology & Metacognition
media type="custom" key="6446525" media type="youtube" key="dGCJ46vyR9o" height="282" width="351" media type="youtube" key="6ILQrUrEWe8" height="273" width="451" media type="youtube" key="42E2fAWM6rA" height="359" width="446"

Multitasking and Cognition and Technology PBS Frontline and Douglas Rushkoff have this exceptional work exploring the latest research.

E-learning and Web 2.0 Tools for Schools Another well-organized collection of resources but built on a mindmap rather than just a list. Lots to explore.

[] Richard Byrne has created what is arguably the most up-to-date, authoritative, and inherently valuable collection of free online resources for educators anywhere. And he teaches at Oxford Hills.

[|Open Thinking] Dr. Alec Couros is on the cutting edge of thinking about how to use the Internet as a place for the free ranging of thinking and learning. Most importantly, he's very much about having a critical dialogue, sharing resources, and not just espousing philosophy.

[|Open Culture] This place makes me think -- a lot.

Online Concept Mappers & Brainstorming Apps This is a seemingly reliable chart of the various concept mapping and mind mapping applications available out in InternetLand.

[|VoiceThread] An interesting online application that allows one to make digital storytelling through pictures, words, and text. Fairly simple in terms of complexity to use and a lot of great potential as well as immediate applications.

[|Capzles] Capzles is an online tool used for creating slideshows that are more like hyperstacks. It is a little difficult to describe -- one had best just go and look at the examples on the site.

[|Couros: 80+ Videos for Tech & Media Literacy] This is one of Dr. Couros' most valuable entries. Go here and browse.

Dipity A site I've only just begun to explore, it allows the building of interactive timelines and embedding other information within them.

Wix This site enables one to create Flash websites, something previously quite difficult to do. Flash is just that -- the bells and whistles of internet design. At the same time, it engages viewers and if students can learn how to manage such tools, it could really open up some interesting ways of demonstrating knowledge beyond the sad ol' list o' links.

Wallwisher Essentially a more rigorous version of Stickies, it functions online and allows one to embed an interactive "wall" within any web page or blog, if one so chooses.

Exploring //A Whole New Mind//
media type="custom" key="6442411" __Right vs. Left: Brain Hemisphericity Online Test__ Somewhat surprising to find this on an art school's website, but it has tremendous information and seems fairly reliable as a measure. Here

__Dan Pink's Blog__ Here Dan Pink shares what he's thinking and seeing. And it's pretty interesting most of the time. Here

3/27/10 Comic Geek Speak Comics in the Classroom Panel
Download the MP3 of the Panel Here

Social Networking: Twitter, Facebook, Ning, Blogs, Wikis
[|Twitter]

Twitter is a very simple tool that can make connecting with other people and sharing information very, very easy. + Easy to use + Easy to connect to people + More and more people are using it + News organizations are using it - Limited amount of text can be shared - A little tricky to have one-on-one conversation

[|Facebook]

Facebook is a more complex tool that can make connecting with other people and sharing information very easy as well. Using Facebook can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be. + Easy to use in its most straightforward form + More and more people are using it + Robust features that let you share a lot of information - More and more people are using it - The add-ons can make things messy and complicated - Challenging to maintain complete privacy

[|Ning]

Ning is a more complex tool that allows you to create your own social network from the ground up. It may seem complicated at first, but once you get started, the learning curve isn't very steep at all. Like Facebook, you can make it more or less complex. It's major benefit? You can create a completely closed network -- the only people on it are those you've invited. BUT you can also join other Nings that are open to a broader community. + Fairly easy to use in its most straightforward form + Lets you make a closed network of only the people you want as a part of your network + Maximizes privacy - Hard to connect with people outside of your immediate circle of contacts - Can be a little clunky to set up at first

[|Blogger] + Fast and efficient way to put information out in date/time order + Works like e-mail or word processor in terms of interface + Easy to embed media and connect to other web resources - In order to maximize ease of use for students/parent, must publish publicly -- so be careful and cautious about FERPA issues - Once you make the URL address, it is set for life = =

Wikispaces + Can be a quick and easy way to archive class information + Easily embed images, video and other web 2.0 tools into space itself + Getting into more advanced uses allows multiple users to edit a single webpage making collaboration easy - Requires students to become members of the Wiki in order to edit - Must be very careful about student information and identifying material when in the collaborative mode - Looking at a collaborated wiki requires a different way of looking at a website and can be a challenging learning curve itself.

= = = = = = = 10/1/09 LAHS Differentiation =


 * EDU 579 Course Syllabus** [|EDU 579 Differentiation Syllabus Fall 2009.doc]

8/10/09 RSD #10 Tech Week: VoiceThread **Objectives & Essential Questions**
 * What is VoiceThread?
 * In what ways might VoiceThread integrate into our classrooms?
 * How could digital storytelling tools such as VoiceThread improve learning and understanding?

**Presentation** //1. Learning Artifact Experience// //2. Introduction to// [|VoiceThread]
 * Think-Pair-Share

media type="custom" key="4201205" //3. Examples of VoiceThread in Action// 4. How Could VoiceThread Be Used in **//Our//** Classrooms
 * Registration
 * [|Essential Features]
 * Build a First VoiceThread
 * [|Dan's Students]
 * [|VoiceThread Library]
 * Brainstorm

**Break**

//5. Work Session// //6. Reporting Out Via VoiceThread//
 * Create VoiceThread for Use in Learning

8/10/09 RSD #10 Tech Week: Universal Design
**Objectives & Essential Questions**
 * What is Universal Design for Learning?
 * To what extent are our classrooms and learning experiences universally designed?
 * How can technology improve universal design within our classrooms?

//1. Who Are We?// //2. Defining Universal Design for Learning// //3. UDL and Technology// //4. UDL and Our Own Practice// Break //5. Work Session & Workshopping// //6. Reporting//
 * Think Pair Share
 * What is UD?
 * [|Mace's Definition]
 * [|UD in Action]
 * What is UDL?
 * [|CAST's Definition]
 * [|Examples of UDL Lessons]
 * Examining How the Brain Works
 * [|CAST's Teaching Every Student]
 * Universal Access Features on Mac OS
 * Other Tools and Applications to Consider
 * [|Travis Tierney's Toolbox]
 * [|Jeff Bailey and Dan Ryder's Wicked Decent Learning]
 * [|Richard Byrne's FreeTech4Teachers]
 * What Do We Do Now?
 * What Could We Be Doing Differently?

What the Heck Is a Museum Box?
//**A Brief History of Thomas Clarkson**// //**Wisbech & Fenland Museum**//

[[image:Wisbech_&_Fenland_Museum_1243564233321.jpeg width="133" height="101" link="http://www.wisbechmuseum.org.uk/clarkson/index.html"]]

 * //E2BN.org's Museum Box Site//**

What the Heck Did We Do With Museum Box?
//**The Project Explanation:**// [|MB Explained.doc] //**The Rubrics:**// [|TKAM Museum Box Rubric.doc] and Here
 * //The Tools://** Mr. Tierney's Toolbox

What the Heck Can You Do with Museum Box?

 * //E2BN.org's Museum Box Site//**

What the Heck Else Can Do What Museum Box Does?
//**Capzles**//

//**VoiceThread**//

//**Glogster**//

Social Networking: Twitter, Facebook & Ning
[|Twitter]

Twitter is a very simple tool that can make connecting with other people and sharing information very, very easy. + Easy to use + Easy to connect to people + More and more people are using it + News organizations are using it - Limited amount of text can be shared - A little tricky to have one-on-one conversation

[|Facebook]

Facebook is a more complex tool that can make connecting with other people and sharing information very easy as well. Using Facebook can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be. + Easy to use in its most straightforward form + More and more people are using it + Robust features that let you share a lot of information - More and more people are using it - The add-ons can make things messy and complicated - Challenging to maintain complete privacy

[|Ning]

Ning is a more complex tool that allows you to create your own social network from the ground up. It may seem complicated at first, but once you get started, the learning curve isn't very steep at all. Like Facebook, you can make it more or less complex. It's major benefit? You can create a completely closed network -- the only people on it are those you've invited. BUT you can also join other Nings that are open to a broader community. + Fairly easy to use in its most straightforward form + Lets you make a closed network of only the people you want as a part of your network + Maximizes privacy - Hard to connect with people outside of your immediate circle of contacts - Can be a little clunky to set up at first