Coolest time to be a learner

Good speech by Will Richardson from a TEDx speech on learning:



Here's an accompanying post with some other links from Jonathan Martin.

More Than Baseball

A post I wrote on one of my favorites, legendary hitter Tony Gwynn, his battle with cancer, and on teaching kids.

http://creativestir.blogspot.com/2011/03/more-than-baseball.html

Think Spring, Adam

NYC’s School of One Customizes Math Learning

The New York City schools' program is restructuring school time and deploying digital-learning tools to customize education and raise math achievement

It's a Family Affair

Computers for Youth works with low-income schools to put computers in the homes of sixth-grade students and bring parents into the learning mission.

Boston Arts Academy

Another reason why I'd like to visit the Boston Arts Academy and chat with Linda Nathan.


-- Posted from batphone

Computer-based homework and grading

Ok, so I have implemented technology-based learning, now what?
I used to grade on a strict time-based basis, but now what? In the past, paper-based homework was due in class the next day, or one day late for 1/2 credit, after that it was a 0. Our homework policy at BBA is similar in principal. I have found that to counter-balance the absoluteness of the computer grading on homework, I need to have them do it for credit or no credit, and I also set the activities so that they can be tried an infinite number of times until they are satisfied with their performance. I still, however, struggle with the "due date" idea, because if the power is out, or the cable was down, or they were away at a game and couldn't get online, or one of the divorced parents doesn't have internet...you get the idea. What I have done temporarily is to be relaxed about the due dates - if you haven't done the activity, you won't know what's going on in class, but I don't put the grade in (100/100 for 10 completed activities) until the end of the unit, so there are no "late" homeworks gradewise unless it was a paper homework that wasn't turned in on time.
Computer-based activities, practice, and projects are fun, comprehensive, and build skills students need for their futures. However, they turn some of our accepted grading practices on their heads and I would love to have someone to discuss this issue with so that I can be clear and firm and logical with my students. I spent years developing my grading system before, and I liked it, but it doesn't work with what I am currently doing with my students. Any ideas?

Personal Learning Network

Saw this post... someones take on building a personal learning network.

http://plpnetwork.com/2011/03/09/gearing-up-for-the-big-game/