Best Practices for Encouraging Learning 24/7: Models that Work

Monday, 6/29/09

Michael Searson's Best Practices for Encouraging Learning 24/7: Models that Work

Using cameras on field trips to connect their learning, AND to go back to the classrooms to write about their learning.

Audio books for kids with dyslexia, to improve their motivation and learning.

Using Read Naturally and Lexia, where teachers are seeing huge results from both programs.

Robotics: available to students from early elementary through high school—offered in after school program. Middle school students can take these as an elective.

Entrepreneurs in Residence: kids meet with other kids as mentors for projects, and they are required to work with others, and it is up to them to schedule times to work to carry out goals of the project(s).

Global Challenge Project (David Gibson)
www.globalchallengeaward.org
Kids register with a partner (team of 2) and an adult (parent/teacher/sponsor, etc.) who they are core units for challenge. Trying to reach HS students world wide, using global teams with a problem to solve. “Save the World” with global warming before they graduate college.
What to expect on this site:
-use open-ended problem solving
-study together in teams
-spread awareness-take action/design a solution
-schedules, collaborators and products
-game and simulation-based online learning experiences

****ALL of this work is evaluated by scientists and educators
This site also offers:
Curriculum enhancement (easy to implement with flexible units of study)
Elective courses (Interdisciplinary: Natural Science Social Science, Entrepreneurship, Economics, digital arts, communications)
Independent studies (self-directed, open-ended, problem=based, guided inquiry)
Productivity Centered Service Learning )action oriented, authentic, community, engagement)

The great thing about this site is that it goes along with standards!


Andrew Gardner (Northern Manhattan) Game Design and Social Networking—Learning outside school walls

Content: what interests students?
1) PLAY!
2) New Media tools (Gamestar Mechanics, a web-based video program that teaches you about game design)

Andrew wanted to use this for after-school classes


Skoolaborate (virtual worlds and learning across the globe)
Develop ‘stuff’ that works globally such as units on drinking/driving, etc.
Ning.com for doing a T-bird Times newsletter to express kid’s personalities and thoughts
tbird times.org (an after school club)
Wix.com (building interactive websites) that kids can do on their own—kids erupted with creativity



Presentation: http://tbirdtimes.wiwispaces.org, kevin_jarrett@yahoo.com