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EDVENTURES IS THE BEST EDUCATIONAL VALUE ON EARTH!
Why is Edventures so awesome? Unlimited access to hundreds of exciting courses,
safe communications, an awesome motivational system and assessment tool,
multimedia portfolio, personalized service and mentoring, students from all over
the world, and much, much, more. There is no better way to integrate project
based learning and technological literacy in your class or home teaching
environment. Try it for FREE and learn all about it!!
TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY THIS WEEK
Due to the great number of inquiries we get regarding literacy resources, we
thought it would be a good idea to spend an issue outlining some important
resources for families and educators who are serious about technological
literacy. You may want to save this issue and refer back to these sites often
when you need a lesson plan or wish to reference a standard.
TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS
Over the past several months we have been looking closely at the technological
literacy standards established by the ITEA. In addition to the ITEA, a second
set of standards are being developed independently by the ISTE. Here are two
definitive sources on standards for technological literacy:
1) National Educational Technology Standards (NETS)
This Project is an ongoing initiative of the International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE).
2)Technology for All Americans Project
Standards for Technological Literacy from the International Technology Education
Association (ITEA).
TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES & LESSON PLANS
In addition to knowing the standards, the Internet is an abundant source of
lesson plans and technical information. The following are only a few of many,
but are excellent resources:
1) HowStuffWorks.com is an online encyclopedia that details how various
phenomena and technologies work. Users can read about anything, from how cell
phones work to what causes a hurricane. Kids will love the "Toy Autopsy" section
which dissects popular toys and investigates how they work.
2) The New York Times Daily Lesson
Archive. Primarily for students ages 12 and
up, this is an awesome resource for lesson ideas in technology and other topics.
3) The Discovery Channel's Discover School site has technology integration
lesson plans that range K-12, and all lesson plans include suggestions for
adaptations for older or younger audiences.
TRY THIS IN YOUR CLASS OR HOME THIS WEEK!
One of the most daunting things about aligning your teaching activities with
standards is the apparent complexity of the standards. It is easy to take one
look at a document that is several hundred pages long and become discouraged due
to lack of time. However, the work that has gone into developing these
standards projects is extraordinary and should not be wasted, so don't despair!
This week, your challenge is to take that first step and take a look at the
standards. Just skim them this week and become familiar with the format. You
can select either the ISTE or ITEA sites listed above and go for it.
Next, after you have skimmed a bit, zero in on one standard or skill that piques
your interest. Now, visit one or more of the sites described above to research
the concepts and find a lesson plan that teach the concepts or skills you have
selected. Execute this plan in your home or classroom during the week!
NEXT WEEK WE BEGIN A SERIES ON INTEGRATION STRATEGIES!!
We hope that this week's newsletter has been useful to you in your educational
pursuits. Just the simple act of reviewing the standards once then moving on to
build a lesson plan that is standards based, can make you much more effective in
your planning and execution on a weekly basis. Together, we can build a
brighter future for students around the world by preparing them to use
technology as naturally as they use a pencil and paper!
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