Free Moocs

The summer vacation is around the corner and while it is a great time for us to have a break from the classroom routine, it is also the convenient time for us to do things we always wanted to do but we were not able to because of lack of time and busy time schedules.You might have plans for some freelance reading, learning a new digital literacy, writing a short story...you name it, but whatever your plans are you should always keep in mind that as teachers we are constantly looking for new opportunities to expand our knowledge and grow professionally. Your plans should always operate within this framework.

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gforsythe/

Yes summer vacation is a golden opportunity for you to learn new things and MOOCs ( Massive Open Online Courses) are among the top choices I would recommend. If you haven't tried a MOOC before then grab one this summer and explore the learning experience it provides. It is definitely worth trying. Open Culture features a list of more than 800 MOOCs from top universities from all around the world. The majority of these MOOCs offer " certificates" or " statements of completion" (not a university credit). You can sift through this list and pick out the ones that interest you. Courses in these MOOCs are organized by start date and some of these courses (called evergreen) are not time bound and you can start them anytime you want. Evergreen courses are featured in the bottom of the list.

Related: MOOCs Explained for Teachers

If you find the number of the MOOCs featured in Open Culture too overwhelming then consider this curated list I made specifically for teachers and educators. These are some great MOOC courses that  will start next June.

1. Technology in A Foreign Language Class (NI) - Canvas Network - June 3 (5 weeks)
2. Tangible Things: Discovering History Through Artworks, Artifacts, Scientific Specimens, etc. (CC) – Harvard on edX – June 2 (5 weeks)
3. 5 Habits of Highly Creative Teachers (NI) - Northwest Colorado BOCES on Canvas - June 2 (5 weeks)
4. Understanding Research Methods (SA) – University of London on Coursera – June 2 (6 weeks)
5. Programming for everybody
6. Model Thinking (CC) – University of Michigan on Coursera – June 2 (10 weeks)
7. Evolution: A Course for Educators (NI) – American Museum of Natural History – June 2 (4 weeks)
8. Education in a Changing World (SA) – Open2study – June 2 (4 weeks)
9. Teaching Adult Learners (SA) – Central Institute of Technology on Open2study – June 2 (4 weeks)
10. Decision Skills: Power Tools to Build Your Life (NI) - Decision Education Foundation on NovoEd – June 16 (6 weeks)
11. Crafting an Effective Writer: Tools of the Trade (SA) – Mt. San Jacinto College on Coursera – June 20 (5 weeks)
12. The Addicted Brain – Emory on Coursera (NI) – June 23 (8 weeks)
13. Teaching Goes Massive: New Skills Required (NC) – University of Zurich on Coursera – June 23 (3 weeks)
14. Assessment and Teaching of 21st-Century Skills (SA) – University of Melbourne on Coursera – June 30 (5 weeks)

Post Source : http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/05/over-800-free-moocs-to-help-you-grow.html

Contact Us -

Website- www.mschools.co.in, www.linkites.com

E-mail - enquiry@mschools.co.in, info@linkites.com

Phone - +91-731-2401952

Skype - mschools, linkites

                                                                          

 

Pillars of Digital Literacy

Essential Elements of Digital Literacy

• Cultural – Look at the context in which the literacy is situated
• Cognitive – How do we think when we are using a device (vs when we are not)?
• Constructive – We should aim to use technology in a constructive (vs a passive) way
• Communicative – We should be using technology to enhance our communications
• Confident – You need to be confident to jump in feet first and explore/use/master/learn technology
• Creative – Using technology in the classroom requires some creativity and risk taking – don’t stick to the basics when you can test out a new idea or use for technology
• Critical – You need the ability to look at the technologies you’re using (and what you’re using them for) with a critical eye
• Civic- We should be using the technologies available to us for greater good (which can be widely defined)

Post Source : http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/05/the-8-pillars-of-digital-literacies.html

Contact Us -

Website- www.mschools.co.in, www.linkites.com

E-mail - enquiry@mschools.co.in, info@linkites.com

Phone - +91-731-2401952

Skype - mschools, linkites

                                                                          

 

How to Keep Students Safe Online?

The internet may bring the world to our fingertips, but that means both the good and the bad aspects of what you can find online. Along with easy access to research materials, online museums, connections via social media, and purpose built for education apps and web tools comes inappropriate content, peer bullying, and online predators. So how to make sure the content is appropriate and your students are safe when they’re using the web for appropriate and necessary work and leisure? The handy infographic below takes a look at what students are doing online and some of the problems they may run into, along with some recommendations for teachers. 

Keeping Students Safe Online

• 95% of teenagers 12-17 are online
• 62% are visiting social networks, while only 15% are doing research/work for school
• 74% access the web on mobile phones
• 52% say they have been a victim of cyberbullying
• Less than 1 in 5 cyberbullying incidents are reported
• 37% of students report being bullied at school
• 50% of 12th grade girls spend at least 10 hours per week texting on their cell phones
• 22% of teens say they have ‘sexted’
• 15% of teens say they have sent nude photos to someone they have never met

What Are Some Issues Resulting From Internet Threats?

• Violence/Harm to self
• Violence/Harm/Abuse/Rape to others
• Nudity/Sexual content (sexting, porn)
• Inappropriate content (skipping school, linking to inappropriate sites, cheating)
• Alcohol/smoking/drug abuse

What Can You Do?

• Help students understand that some information should be private
• Talk to students about cyberbullying
• Educate students about the threat of online predators
• Encourage students to report concerns to authorities
• Implement a safe learning solution that will filter and monitor communications

Dealing With Inappropriate Content

• Do not forward, copy, download, or share the content
• Determine if the person in possession of the content has shared it
• Minimize the number of devices and people involved
• Contact law enforcement if appropriate
• If a document or conversation needs to be saved, do not include images

Post Source : http://www.edudemic.com/quick-guide-keeping-students-safe-online/

Contact Us -

Website- www.mschools.co.in, www.linkites.com

E-mail - enquiry@mschools.co.in, info@linkites.com

Phone - +91-731-2401952

Skype - mschools, linkites

                                                                          

 

Online STEM Learning

By Matt Vangalis

From millions in White House grants to private tech companies’ awareness programs, the push is on to engage students in the critically important fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career possibilities.

It’s a hot button issue. The demand for well-educated students, especially in the STEM fields is growing with no signs of slowing down. Still, according to the National Math & Science Initiative, 54 percent of high school graduates are not ready for college math, while an astounding 70 percent are unprepared for college-level science.

A main issue that prevents students from becoming engaged in STEM is a lack of access to the courses, the content and the right teachers they need to succeed. Many schools lack the resources to fully push STEM to all students. The good news is that students don’t need to be in a brick-and-mortar school to effectively learn STEM concepts.

Online learning is a critical tool because it gives more students access to STEM education coursesand resources that might otherwise be unavailable to them. Students who don’t have access to STEM offerings at their schools can access high-quality courses online. It also serves as an outlet for schools and districts to augment their STEM offerings, which are often only offered as electives.

A 2013 report from STEMConnector said close to 60 percent of the nation’s students who begin high school interested in STEM change their minds by graduation. Schedule flexibility and the ability to work at your own pace can take away some of the intimidation factor that many students face in a STEM curriculum – a factor that often leads to a loss of interest.

STEM Should Be Hands-On

Studies show that STEM education is most successful when there’s a multi-prong approach, including coursework, applied activities and career connections. In addition to quality courses, a good online STEM program will offer hands-on opportunities for students to apply what they learn.

Online schools with year-round enrollment have a more flexible academic calendar, so online educators can better incorporate hands-on experiences, assignments and even internships into the curriculum.

Such activities are important learning tools, but are also critical in inspiring kids to think about STEM careers. Participation in internships, job-shadowing experiences and other hands-on experiences in research labs, zoos and museums are critical in helping students determine their interest and increasing their knowledge.

Read More...

Contact Us -

Website- www.mschools.co.in, www.linkites.com

E-mail - enquiry@mschools.co.in, info@linkites.com

Phone - +91-731-2401952

Skype - mschools, linkites

                                                                          

 

Online Classroom Adapting Mobile Generation

Education is a crucial component to success in the modern world. With the ever-progressing forms of communication and technology, we have seen an explosion of online tools and options that have become available to the mobile and tech savvy generation of today.

Enhanced Models and Simulations

Image via Flickr by possbeth

In the past, teachers used tools from the environment to demonstrate concepts that were difficult for students to fully comprehend. A tuning fork, for example, illustrated how vibrations create sound.

Today, teachers have more refined resources they can appeal to in order to demonstrate concepts that are extremely difficult to understand. For example, digital simulations are used to model complex systems: weather patterns, chemical bonding, Fluid mechanics, and other complicated concepts — particularly those which unfold over time or through a convoluted series of reactions.

Similar tools are now used in helping develop new technologies in science, engineering, and mathematics.

Virtual Manipulatives

Manipulatives allow students to move objects around in various combinations that represent complicated mathematical concepts. Virtual manipulatives now allow for a greater range of object lessons. Teachers can let students create a series of graphs changing individual factors from one to the next with a visual demonstration that illustrates how the two interact. Students can now visit sites where they can experiment with the idea of numbers and what they mean by changing the values and viewing what happens to virtual models in the process.

Global Opportunities

Learning foreign language and culture is a much more immediate experience as students can actually set up language lessons with native speakers from the country where the language is spoken. They can access resources from colleges and libraries in other countries, and speak directly using videoconferencing tools. They can directly discuss topics which are of interest to both parties, share insights to language and cultures, and even visually illustrate surroundings and cultural identifiers.

Read More...

Contact Us -

Website- www.mschools.co.in, www.linkites.com

E-mail - enquiry@mschools.co.in, info@linkites.com

Phone - +91-731-2401952

Skype - mschools, linkites

                                                                          

 

iPad Tips and Resources for Teachers

Below is what I have been preparing for you over the last weekend. I have gone through all the archive of posts I have shared here and consulted several other external resources to compile this guide. The purpose behind this work is to help teachers and educators better tap into the full educational potential of iPad and make a good use of it in their instruction as well as in their professional development.

I divided this guide into 5parts:

• iPad Technical Tips
• iPad Management Tips and Tricks 
• Resources for Finding Educational Apps
• iPad Apps Evaluation Rubrics
• iPad classroom posters

iPad Technical Tips

1- Take a screenshot 

To take a screenshot on your iPad just click on the the Home button followed immediately by clicking on the Sleep/Wake button. You will hear a click sound after the shot is taken. All the screenshots are saved in your iPad's Photo's Gallery. From there you can can email or share them on popular social media.

2- Print Docs from your iPad

My favourite way to print docs from iPad is through using AirPrint. AirPrint enables instant printing from iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Mac without the need to install drivers or download software. Simply select an AirPrint printer and print. It's that simple. AirPrint is compatible with most of the popular printers ( Canon, HP, Brother, Epson, Dell…etc). Check out this article to learn how to use AirPrint.

3- Double Click the Home button

When you double click on the Home button you will be able to :

• View and launch recently used applications
• Lock screen orientation, adjust brightness, play media, and adjust media sound.

4- Creating folders for apps

To create a folder for your apps.Touch and hold icons until jiggling, then drag the app on top of another and a folder will be created  to hold both of them. You can add more apps to this folder by dragging other apps to it. Give the folder a  name the folder then  click on the home button to save.

Read More...

Contact Us -

Website- www.mschools.co.in, www.linkites.com

E-mail - enquiry@mschools.co.in, info@linkites.com

Phone - +91-731-2401952

Skype - mschools, linkites

                                                                          

 

Kids Online Safety

The visual below from British Council features '5 golden rules' designed to help parents and carers help their children enjoy social media in a safe digital environment.The graphic also provides some interesting stats about kids social media usage.

Here is a brief overview of these five golden rules

1- Show me

Ask your child to show you the sites they use.

2- Low profile

Ask your child to set profile settings to private

3-Just ask

Ask your child about their online friends.

4-Photo check

Ask your child to only share photos that they wouldn't mind showing you first.

5- Don't worry

Ask your child to tell you if they are worried about something online.

   Via British Council

Post Source : http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/04/the-5-golden-rules-for-kids-online.html

Contact Us -

Website- www.mschools.co.in, www.linkites.com

E-mail - enquiry@mschools.co.in, info@linkites.com

Phone - +91-731-2401952

Skype - mschools, linkites