As parents, we're now beginning to accept this, I think: "We live in a world that is re-creating itself one life and one digital connection at a time … a landscape for which there are no maps," as Krista Tippett said it in her introduction to a timely radio conversation with Seth Godin on American Public Media (not that we know quite what to do with that awareness yet (see this sidebar). … [Read more...] about EduCon 2.5 & helping kids learn in ‘a landscape with no maps’
School & Tech
What we know & don’t know about kids’ online socializing: Key study
Imagine a game in which a child not only discovers, collects, creates, and/or customizes 2- and 3-dimensional art objects that s/he then shares with fellow player-creators, but also creates his/her own levels of play. Imagine the literacies players could be developing in the process of playing such a game, including social literacy, through sharing, "liking," and reviewing each other's … [Read more...] about What we know & don’t know about kids’ online socializing: Key study
Using social media to grow student engagement
Though student engagement seems like a tough thing to measure, Gallup recently did, calling it the education version of "the fiscal cliff" so much in the news at the turn of the year. In a survey of 500,000 students in grades 5 through 12, Gallup Education found that, while nearly 80% of elementary students its surveyed "are engaged with school," that engagement falls to 40% of high school … [Read more...] about Using social media to grow student engagement
We are all first responders, in a way
I couldn't find the words to respond in writing to the deeply sad news from Newtown, Conn., right away, so was grateful for two thoughtful responses on Friday and Saturday – one from my friend, educator Jackie Gerstein, in Facebook and another in the form of an editorial in the Christian Science Monitor building on President Obama's statement on Friday. The Monitor highlighted Mr. Obama's comment … [Read more...] about We are all first responders, in a way
Mining Minecraft, Part 3: Safety & citizenship in games (do try this at home!)
Guest post by Marianne Malmstrom I’m thrilled by the competency and resourcefulness of my young students. But I also feel an urgency to inform parents and teachers that our children need us to be present and involved online. Just as in “real world" spaces, they require supervision and guidance in virtual spaces. They don’t know to ask for permission to make accounts, connect with friends, … [Read more...] about Mining Minecraft, Part 3: Safety & citizenship in games (do try this at home!)