stephen reck - technology&education http://www.stephen-reck.com/ sharing new ideas & sparking discussion about the role of technology in the classroom en-US Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:04:06 -0500 http://www.typepad.com/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Subscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with PageflakesSubscribe with The Free DictionarySubscribe with Bitty BrowserSubscribe with NewsAlloySubscribe with Live.comSubscribe with Excite MIXSubscribe with Attensa for OutlookSubscribe with WebwagSubscribe with Podcast ReadySubscribe with FlurrySubscribe with WikioSubscribe with Daily Rotationsharing new ideas & sparking discussion about the role of technology in the classroom. iPad Apps for Science Students http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stephen-reck/blog/~3/1GdgHsYEDt4/ipad-apps-for-science-students.html http://www.stephen-reck.com/2012/01/ipad-apps-for-science-students.html Tablets are certainly the current hot item in educational technology. Teachers are willing to forgo some functionality in exchange for portability and a smaller price tag. The leader in this emerging category is clearly the iPad. Apple has hit it out of the park with this device, selling it before consumers even realized they wanted such a tool. One of the reasons for iPad's success is its extensive collection of applications. Here's a list of the 40 Most Awesome iPad Applications for Science Students. And remember, this is just the beginning of tablet computing. Tablets are certainly the current hot item in educational technology. Teachers are willing to forgo some functionality in exchange for portability and a smaller price tag. The leader in this emerging category is clearly the iPad. Apple has hit it out of the park with this device, selling it before consumers even realized they wanted such a tool.

One of the reasons for iPad's success is its extensive collection of applications. Here's a list of the 40 Most Awesome iPad Applications for Science Students. And remember, this is just the beginning of tablet computing.


]]> Apple Education Hardware sReck Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:04:06 -0500 http://www.stephen-reck.com/2012/01/ipad-apps-for-science-students.html Online Learning Here to Stay http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stephen-reck/blog/~3/_UtemvtiV2E/online-learning-here-to-stay.html http://www.stephen-reck.com/2011/05/online-learning-here-to-stay.html Education Week echoes much of what we already know: online and blended learning options are here to stay. In fact, we will see a growth in popularity. This is because virtual models provide a variety of advantages including: flexible scheduling, on demand assessments, immediate feedback, and cost savings. As public schools continue to face declining financial aid, administrators and teachers need to develop creative pathways to advance student achievement. Read it all here. Screen shot 2011-05-27 at 1.59.13 PM Education Week echoes much of what we already know: online and blended learning options are here to stay. In fact, we will see a growth in popularity. This is because virtual models provide a variety of advantages including: flexible scheduling, on demand assessments, immediate feedback, and cost savings. As public schools continue to face declining financial aid, administrators and teachers need to develop creative pathways to advance student achievement. Read it all here.


]]> Current Affairs Education sReck Fri, 27 May 2011 14:04:09 -0400 http://www.stephen-reck.com/2011/05/online-learning-here-to-stay.html Blended Learning's Surge http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stephen-reck/blog/~3/s8ds0fT-3L0/blended-learnings-surge.html http://www.stephen-reck.com/2011/05/blended-learnings-surge.html I recently came across a report from the Innosight Institute outlining the immense growth in popularity for blended learning models in K-12 environments. In 2000, 45,000 students participated in an online course. By 2009, that number has increased to over 3 million and it is projected that by 2019, half of all high school courses will be offered online. In my opinion, technology advancements and increasing costs are driving the online learning boom. Take a look at the report here. I recently came across a report from the Innosight Institute outlining the immense growth in popularity for blended learning models in K-12 environments. In 2000, 45,000 students participated in an online course. By 2009, that number has increased to over 3 million and it is projected that by 2019, half of all high school courses will be offered online. In my opinion, technology advancements and increasing costs are driving the online learning boom. Take a look at the report here.


]]> Education Research sReck Tue, 24 May 2011 12:28:28 -0400 http://www.stephen-reck.com/2011/05/blended-learnings-surge.html Sharing to Improve Instruction http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stephen-reck/blog/~3/YFwkw8OJ6rY/sharing-to-improve-instruction.html http://www.stephen-reck.com/2011/04/sharing-to-improve-instruction.html The National Staff Development Council posted an interesting piece on its blog on the importance of collaboration among educators. It uses the fashion industry as an example of how imitation, whether welcomed or not, drives innovation. "They understand that this openness to copy provides the fuel for rapid innovation and improvement," writes Rene Islas, "the fact that they are free to copy allows them to take a great base product and embellish it in a way that meets the needs and demands of a consumer." This model provides further support to the ever-growing understanding that teaching can no longer take... Screen shot 2011-04-21 at 7.08.52 PM The National Staff Development Council posted an interesting piece on its blog on the importance of collaboration among educators. It uses the fashion industry as an example of how imitation, whether welcomed or not, drives innovation. "They understand that this openness to copy provides the fuel for rapid innovation and improvement," writes Rene Islas, "the fact that they are free to copy allows them to take a great base product and embellish it in a way that meets the needs and demands of a consumer."

This model provides further support to the ever-growing understanding that teaching can no longer take place behind closed doors. There are not enough hours in the day for teachers to innovate every lesson for every class every day on their own. Instead, we need to rely on one another to provide us with effective strategies, in which we then tailor to our specific students. With an effective professional development program that emphasizes cooperation, perhaps through PLCs, teachers work more efficiently and effectively


]]> Education Research sReck Thu, 21 Apr 2011 19:33:59 -0400 http://www.stephen-reck.com/2011/04/sharing-to-improve-instruction.html Video Games as Learning Tools http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stephen-reck/blog/~3/nD-b-5gOtvE/video-games-as-learning-tools.html http://www.stephen-reck.com/2011/04/video-games-as-learning-tools.html Edutopia does it again as it provides this awesome clip. James Paul Gee talks about how the memorization of facts alone is no longer a sufficient education for students. Today's student must solve complex problems. Where can schools look for a model of instruction? Video Games. My favorite part of this video is when Dr. Gee talks about the game Civilization. He mentions that the game comes with an encyclopedia and that the game acts as a catalyst for further research... through the use of the included encyclopedia. Personally, I know I frequently do my own research on topics presented... Edutopia does it again as it provides this awesome clip. James Paul Gee talks about how the memorization of facts alone is no longer a sufficient education for students. Today's student must solve complex problems. Where can schools look for a model of instruction? Video Games.

My favorite part of this video is when Dr. Gee talks about the game Civilization. He mentions that the game comes with an encyclopedia and that the game acts as a catalyst for further research... through the use of the included encyclopedia. Personally, I know I frequently do my own research on topics presented in video games, TV shows, and movies. Today's student is not a consumer of information, but a creator of original content. Thanks Edutopia and Dr. Gee.


]]> Education Research sReck Tue, 19 Apr 2011 20:41:39 -0400 http://www.stephen-reck.com/2011/04/video-games-as-learning-tools.html