Hour of Code: Are You Ready?

| Posted:
Categories:
Professional Learning
| Tags: , ,
Leave a comment

“A computer is a bicycle for your mind.” Steve Jobs Code.org (reviewed here) launched the Hour of Code™ during Computer Science Education Week in December 2013. Students and teachers were invited to complete Blockly (reviewed here) tutorials, which use a programming language similar to Scratch (reviewed here). President Obama, Bill Gates, and various celebrities supported the … read more »


21 Free Tech Tools for Knowledge Construction

| Posted:
Categories:
Classroom Application, Professional Learning
| Tags: , ,
Leave a comment

Searching for the definition of knowledge construction leads to several different meanings that all begin with the fundamental premise that knowledge is a generative process. This article provides twelve descriptions of knowledge construction! As educators, we understand that knowledge construction is crucial to successful learning. Learning about the different methods that students learn allows us … read more »


Thinking Like Da Vinci

| Posted:
Categories:
Classroom Application, Professional Learning
| Tags: , ,
Leave a comment

Although it has been five hundred and seventy years since his birth, Leonardo da Vinci’s impact on the world continues. He is probably best known for his painting, the Mona Lisa; however, his genius carried across many different disciplines, making him known as a true “Renaissance Man.” In addition to art, Da Vinci is also known … read more »


Participating in a Twitter Chat 101

| Posted:
Categories:
Professional Learning
| Tags: , ,
Leave a comment

Rhetorical question alert! Have you gotten on the social media bandwagon? How about Twitter Chats?! I’m thinking the percentage of those who answered “yes” to my second question may be less than the first! But don’t stress— I’m here to help you take that leap and fully engage in a Twitter Chat. And hey, guess … read more »


Summer Assignment: Build that PLN!

| Posted:
Categories:
Professional Learning
| Tags: ,
Leave a comment

Are you counting down the days until summer vacation?  I mean, did I really need to ask that question?! I remember one of the hardest parts of transitioning from a teacher to an administrator was not getting to have that feeling of pure exhilaration and excitement going into summer break.  It’s a time to recharge, … read more »


Are You a Twitter Lurker or a Twitter Contributor?

| Posted:
Categories:
Professional Learning
| Tags: , , ,
Leave a comment

I admit it; I am more of a lurker on Twitter than a contributor. I follow many of the most respected names in education and marvel at their ideas and ability to share with others. Every once in a while, I’ll retweet something I find especially interesting or notable. Rarely do I add my thoughts … read more »


Summer – Time to Relax or Time for Learning?

| Posted:
Categories:
Professional Learning
| Tags: , ,
Leave a comment

What do you do when summer break arrives? Is it time for a well-deserved break, or do you use this time for professional growth and rejuvenation? Perhaps a bit of both? If you’d like to try some rejuvenation that you can do at home in a relaxed setting, but still with a group of peers with … read more »


Growing Your Personal Learning Network

| Posted:
Categories:
Professional Learning
| Tags: , , ,

Summertime is here. It’s every teacher’s favorite season. In addition to having time to relax, summer is the perfect time for learning something new professionally – without the daily pressure of school work. A wonderful thing about the Internet is that makes it easy to learn new skills and connect with like-minded individuals. Many educators embrace this concept … read more »