Teachers are...

Veronica Nessman Teachers are the mentors, guidance councillors, care givers, knowledge providers etc. etc. for our children for 13 years of their lives. We entrust teachers with the lives of our children while we are working. They should be respected, provided with the resources needed to teach the upcoming leaders , politicians, and teachers of our country so they ( our children) can be the best they can be! Thank you from this mom!

Jennifer Ford Ulmer... I am a special education teacher in Saskatchewan.

Jennifer Ford Ulmer... I am a special education teacher in Saskatchewan. I work with the most vulnerable children in our school. I take my job very seriously, I have spent long hours, weekends and evenings away from my own family to make these children have to best education that we can offer. I have had so many meetings I cannot even begin to count them. I have laughed and cried with the parents of some very special children that I work with. I believe I am doing one of the most important often emotionally difficult career out there. But, I must say that I do feel my profession is being under valued by our government. I feel heartache for schools when I see our day get longer, our classes get bigger, but our resources get smaller. We need more people! We need more teachers, more EA's, more resources. If I was entering a profession for the money I certainly wouldn't have chosen teaching, I entered this profession for the chance to make a difference, shape our society. I know many teachers feel this way. I'd like our government to value our contribution. Hear our concerns, visit our classrooms, see what schools are like in a society that is so very different than even ten years ago. For me it's not about money, it's about RESPECT!

Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms

This may be for upper-year students but is a valuable site to check out. It is the "Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms". Here, students can hear scientists define and explain many genetic terms. There is also a "Test your Gene Knowledge" quiz that students can take to measure their skills.

June 13, 2012 at 12:36PM



via If You Love Dogs and Technology

Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms

Son of Citation Machine

When I was a student, I always dreaded having to cite sources after completing a paper or assignment. Today, there is a tool that helps students with this. No matter the type of formatting (MLA, APA etc.) that is required by the teacher or professor, "Son of Citation Machine " makes this a lot easier. You simply click the type of formatting you require, click the type of resource (book, website etc.) and fill in the remainder of the form and it will create a correct citation for you.

June 13, 2012 at 09:35AM



via If You Love Dogs and Technology

Son of Citation Machine

Need to share files without installing any programs? Try using File Dropper. You simply upload your file to a 5 GB max and a unique URL is generated for your file, which you can then share with whoever you choose.

June 13, 2012 at 09:23AM



via If You Love Dogs and Technology

2 More Google Helpers for Your Classroom

http://ifyoulovedogsandtechnology.blogspot.com/2012/05/2-more-google-helpers-for-your.html by noreply@blogger.com (Lisa C.) https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUlvrF7c3chsKwx519ZDYjq-uq5NPDrmwGyWzjk5w3cyaHFOlKsi_mH_FRlLIVJtBH_UvO7iIWH5NPJtb24GjEN_-1szOHIrAmLCb89sJw5LdwczsOaJFIIaryInaOmWhyUT2w0wMfjFbK/s320/Capture.JPG

Help your students become effective, efficient web searchers. Google's Search Education helps students by making available lessons on how to search the internet for "quality sources appropriate to their task".

Another tool that students/teachers can use for reliable "scholarly literature" is Google Scholar. It helps in locating "relevant work across the world of scholarly research".

May 09, 2012 at 01:23PM



via If You Love Dogs and Technology http://ifyoulovedogsandtechnology.blogspot.com/2012/05/2-more-google-helpers-for-your.html

Reaching out to transform the world

This entry was written by Nakoneshny, Reginald.  He found it at http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com/
credited to  Michael Gorman.

Now that you are all WIKI and BLOG experts, a very enriching exercise is connecting with another classroom or perhaps you would like to start a joint project in the form of a blog or wiki with another classroom or teacher somewhere in the world.  The links below offer several alternatives to do so.  The list contains websites that make it easy to connect with another teacher, classroom or school.  What a better way to learn about another culture or geo than connecting with the resident experts and in turn, sharing your expertise with them.  Oh the places you'll go, the people you'll meet, the things you'll see!

Reg

Websites that connect students and classrooms to others across the world using PBL
ePals – This link will direct you to the free portion of ePals Global Community. It is the world’s largest network of K-12 classrooms, enabling students and teachers to safely connect and collaborate with classrooms in more than 200 countries and territories. Offered at no cost to classrooms, educators can access the community to find collaborative projects, join discussions in the community forums, and search thousands of classroom profiles to engage with others in authentic exchanges – all within in a safe, protected online environment. This free community provides a platform to make PBL a relevant real world experience.
iEARN -  An amazing community and platform covering 130 Countries, 30 Languages, 40,000 Educators, and 2 Million Youth. iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) is the world’s largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and youth to use the Internet and other technologies to collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a difference in the world. At iEARN you will a unique way to engage students in project based learning that extends beyond the four classroom walls.
Flat Classroom Project – Join this global collaborative project that connects together middle and senior high school students. This project is part of the emerging tend in internationally-aware schools to embrace a holistic and constructivist educational approach to work collaboratively with others around the world in order to create students who are competitive and globally-minded.
GlobalShoolNet – A group that includes a mission to support 21st century learning and improve academic performance through content-driven collaboration. You will discover  e-learning projects worldwide to develop science, math, literacy and communication skills, foster teamwork, civic responsibility and collaboration, encourage workforce preparedness and create multi-cultural understanding. Take a look at some of the outstanding efforts including a Product Registry area that allows educators to find projects and potential partners. How about an InternationalCyber Fair or check out the Doors to Diplomacy project.
ThinkQuest - An online learning community that integrates technology-based activities into the curriculum with ease. Students can collaborate in a protected environment accessible only to member schools. Students and teachers can connect with peers around the world and embark on a journey of discovery and innovation.
Global Nomads -The  GNG  mission is to foster dialogue and understanding amongst the world’s youth by bringing the world to the classroom via interactive technology. There are some amazing stories and links. Some programs are free and some do have a cost.
Global Collaboration – This is a Ning that is dedicated to connecting educators across the globe. You can find a lot of opportunities with in their forum.

Interactivity in the Online Classroom

Online education has become an ever more present entity in the academic world in the last decade. Not only are people seeking the digital approach for higher education and graduate school, but many are also exploring the world of online classrooms at the primary level. While there are many advantages to taking an online approach to education, there are of course (as there are with all things) also many disadvantages to online learning. One of the biggest criticisms that the online classroom has faced is the question of interactivity in the online sphere. Interactivity is the student's ability to create their own knowledge and it important because it responds to all different learning styles. Students in an interactive environment learn by doing. The complaint is that online courses have minimal student-student and student-teacher interaction. This, however, may not entirely be the case.

Student-Teacher Interaction in Online Courses

The issue with interactivity in the online world is that interactivity does not look the same online as it does in a traditional setting. No, for the most part, students and teachers will not be conversing face to face. However, there are several different strategies that online instructors can utilize to create more student-teacher interaction. Instructors can include a picture and "about me" information on their site. Keep this material updated regularly, so that students can continue to learn things about you. It is the teacher's role to create an interactive learning environment that enable the most productive and successful learning experience for students. Teachers should engage students in discussion forums, an internal blog, whiteboard, instant messaging, wikis, and social media. Teachers should choose the tools that work best for their teaching method and goals and use them to engage and interact with students. While the interaction and discussion that occurs between teachers and students will look different online, it is the same at its core. Students and teacher are still communicating and learning as a unit.

Student-Student Interaction in Online Courses

It is this form of interaction that online courses and classrooms may be more advanced with in today's society. Students today use the internet for a huge portion of their personal interactions. With Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and all others, students are comfortable and accustomed (at this point) to this type of conversation. Incorporating this level of comfort into classroom discussion and interaction can no question be a positive thing. Teachers should encourage students to interact in the online classroom. Have students create profiles for themselves so that they can get to know one another. Use this as a first assignment where students can include pictures, biographies, and favorite websites. They can get to know one another the way they get to know and interact with their "real life" friends—online. As for classroom discussion, many students may find discussion more engrossing and inviting in an online context. The immediate pressure of speaking in front of all your peers is lessened. Students can carefully craft their arguments and comments before posting them. Discussion can be enhanced by more educated and crafted comments.

Student-Content Interaction in Online Courses

This area of interactivity in the online classroom is actually very similar to how it is in the traditional classroom setting. Students receive assignments and can interact with the content in much the same way they would in a classroom. Of course, because the class takes place online, much of the students work will be done completely on a computer and online. Teachers should encourage web-based research and should require that students' check the reliability of their sources. Students can share useful websites with one another, providing an opportunity for student-student interaction as well. Teachers should ask their students to critique the content of assignments and projects. This encourages more thorough interaction with the material and helps the instructor create more relevant course material. Furthermore, online methods of teaching can allow for creativity from students in their assignments. Allow students to create their own format for their work; let them present their content in their own way to better showcase individual talents.

Author Bio:
This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at accredited online colleges about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5 @ gmail.com.

Are Universities Losing their Control as Pillars of Learning?

They've long been considered the hallowed portals of education; they're sought after by those seeking not just an education, but one that comes with prestige and status as well; and they set high standards, for admission and in terms of coursework. However, are universities still the powerhouses of learning they were all these years? Do they still exercise control in the world of academia and are they still considered the best when it comes to learning?
These questions arise because of the popularity and widespread prevalence of online education and e-learning initiatives. The Internet has revolutionized the way we do so many things, and most significantly, it has changed the face of education as we knew it. Today, learning and knowledge come to you instead of forcing you to go in search of it. So if it's a degree you're aspiring for, you don't have to look further than the Internet. A few searches and some diligent research can find you the best education from the comfort of your home.
You don't have to sweat it out to gain admission to a fancy college; you don't have to run from pillar to post looking for a place in a college that enjoys a good reputation; and you don't have to spend oodles of money in the pursuit of an education. Online education is as good as its traditional counterpart, if you know how to choose the right school and the right degree and have the right temperament.
However, in spite of all the advantages that online education offers, there's one major drawback that prevents it from being the first choice of most students - its acceptability with employers and the professional world. It's a prejudice that arose from the days when diploma mills ruled the roost and "sold" degrees or provided fraudulent ones; and since then, online education has been perceived as a low-quality alternative to conventional education.
However, the status of online education today is a far cry from what it was a few years ago; more and more institutions are going down this road, even ones steeped in tradition like MIT and Harvard. Open Courseware is the latest rage that's driving the popularity of e-learning through the roof. It's almost like universities have woken up to the fact that online education is the teaching methodology of the future, and are rushing to jump onto this speeding bandwagon - this list of free online courses provided by the top universities in the country proves this point.
Bill Gates was referring to this trend when he said that five years from now, the best education will be available for free on the web, and that its combined power will be greater than that of any single university. However, he also stressed that there must be a system in place to award equal credit for knowledge, whether you gained it through an MIT degree or from a bunch of online courses.
It's this acceptability and perception of what's best and what's not that will determine if universities continue to remain the pillars of learning they are today or if they will fall by the wayside and give way to online learning.
By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Mark Davies, he writes on the topic of Online Masters Degree . He welcomes your comments at his email id: markdavies247<@>gmail<.>com.

Facebook Etiquette for Teachers: Should even get involved?

Now that Facebook has opened up to all age levels and kids as young as middle school (or younger!) and even their parents are into social networking, teachers have another type of relationship and ethics issue to worry about. From sexual harassment to bullying to revealing a little too much about what you like to do on the weekends, Facebooking students -- or allowing them full access to your profile -- can mean big trouble if the wrong parent or administrator finds out, or if the student in question misunderstands the relationship. Even if you aren't breaking any laws or contractual agreements, students can exaggerate to friends what they found on your profile, or a parent might disapprove of their child talking with you on the Internet after class. While some teachers have opened up their online profiles to former and current students with no consequences, it's best to practice a particular form of Facebook etiquette, if you even want to get involved.

The easiest way to avoid any real trouble is to stay off Facebook altogether. But if you enjoy networking with friends and of-age colleagues, you can still safely log on without letting students find you. Adjust your privacy settings so that you can't be found in a people search, and parents, students and administrators won't find you unless you contact them directly. If your kids keep bugging you about Facebook and you do want to keep up with graduates or continue to mentor kids and be a resource for them after hours, create a separate Facebook account just for school-related contacts. On your separate account, you can post G-rated photos, share links and commentary about educational topics or subjects related to your class, openly talk with students, parents and other teachers, and not have to worry about what your real friends are posting on your wall or how they're tagging you in photos.

Keep your communication public if you can so that everyone can see that you're sticking to the rules and not acting inappropriately. If a student has a personal question or wants to talk about an assignment, send them private messages, but stick to the same guidelines as you would if a student came to talk to you after class: don't use bad or suggestive language, and maintain a strict teacher-student relationship with current students. Whatever's online can be copy/pasted, printed, and forwarded, so you have to be extra careful.

If you decide that Facebooking is something you want to share with students, be extra careful with your communications with underage and current students. But be open to the collaborative nature of social networking, and don't be afraid to help students work through academic or life decisions if they prefer the online format.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online college courses. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7 @gmail.com.

What Qualities are Desirable in K12 Online Staff?

It is always nice to have others write comments or even full blog entries. The following is a guest blog entry... Thanks to Anna Miller for this thought.

This guest post is contributed by Anna Miller, who writes on the topic of degree online . She welcomes your comments at her email id: anna.miller009@gmail.com


They're both forums of education, but when it comes to the principles and techniques of teaching, there are many differences between those adopted in traditional classrooms and those followed in their online counterparts. The main disparity arises because of the fact that the former allows for visible forms of communication and instant feedback while the latter is hindered by the lack of the same. Teachers in traditional classrooms can see and interact in real time with their students; if they're good judges of character and skilled teachers, they are able to gauge from the faces and other behavioral aspects of their students their level of interest in and understanding for the subject. But their online colleagues are not allowed the same benefits - they most often never see their students and are mostly limited to emails and online chats and discussions. When it comes to online K12 education, this drawback becomes a limiting factor in more ways than one.
• For one, the students are young and so tend to have limited attention spans. This means they must be treated completely differently from adult learners who enroll for business or other degrees. So the staff handling classes for K12 students must be able to hold the attention of their wards in any way they can. When distance increases and your only way of communication is electronic, it's a challenge to command attention, make your students understand what you're teaching, and get them to adhere to schedules and lessons. K12 online staff members require immense dedication and perseverance to be up to the task.
• Another factor that comes into play in online education for K12 students is that they're compelled to attend lessons and classes. They're doing it online because they're either at remote locations where schools are hard to come by or because they're limited by handicaps that force them to stay home and attend school online. It's an alternative to homeschooling that their parents prefer because it allows them access to qualified teachers. Adult learners go back to school of their own accord because they want to earn a degree or boost their qualifications. So K12 online staff have a tough job on their hands - they need to make their lessons interesting and compelling so that their students don't feel the boredom of learning from far away without the company of other learners.
• Also, because each student is mostly alone and only in the company of their parents or guardians, they don't have the advantage of interacting with their peers and gaining from the experience. Online K12 teachers must make up for this deficiency by facilitating communication and interaction between all their students, even though they're in different locations. Discussions in an online forum, instant chats, and even email threads are great ways to do this, and the K12 teacher has to be up to the task of breaking the ice and getting them to communicate with each other.