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Guidelines for Teaching @MIT and Beyond | MIT Teaching and Learning Laboratory

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An effective way to design a unit of instruction is to think about what students should know and be able to do afterwards. By specifying intended learning outcomes for students, you will be able to form a clearer picture in your mind of what teaching and learning activities will help students achieve those outcomes.

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50 Ways Google Can Help You Become A Better Teacher
by TeachThought Staff

While Apple products are known for their integration in classrooms, increasingly Google is the choice for schools and districts looking for something organized, useful, and inexpensive that's available on tablet, laptop, Chromebooks, desktop, smartphone, and more.

In fact, the sheer diversity of Google products might make them a more natural fit in the classroom in lieu of the iPad's gravity. Below we've listed 50 ways teachers can get started using Google in the classroom. Let us know on our facebook page if we've missed anything.
Ed note: Update: This post has been updated with new tips, links, and resources for the 2016-2017 school year to reflect the latest ways to use Google's latest 'stuff.' Google In The Classroom: 50 Ways Google Can Help You Become A Better Teacher
1. Find YouTube channels to provide daily writing prompts, activity modeling, and out-of-the-box content area expertise that students find interesting.

2. Use Google Drive for cloud-based storage of critical curricula and other important files. (This one's kind of obvious, but it's among the most useful.)

3. Aggregate videos for blended learning via a YouTube channel.

4. Use Google Search to identify exemplars of project-based learning, blended learning, or mobile learning.

5. Use Google Search to source not tools, but reviews of tools-from curricula to apps, and other pedagogical tools.

6. Find curated collections of resources currently tucked away in the dark recesses of some obscure web page using expert keyword search tactics.

7. Check out YouTube for Teachers and their video resources.

8. Have students analyze emerging cultural trends using Google Trends.

9. Use Google Search to see how what other schools are doing in regards to school BYOD policies, technology in the classroom, or unpacked Common Core academic standards.

10. Have students use a combination of YouTube and Google Drive to create ongoing digital portfolios, that include their own reflections of the learning process.

11. Help students understand how to stay safe online at Google's Safety Center.

12. Use Google Photos to quickly document and save student work samples for student conferences, portfolio pieces, and more. (Just be sure to not 'publish' the folder-keep it private and viewable only by yourself and/or parents of the student.)

13. Have students trace a fictional character's journey through Google Earth.

14. Have students manage and communicate project-based learning work on Google Calendar.

15. Sync your browser tabs, search history, and extensions between devices with Google Chrome sync.

16. Use Google Search to locate teacher professional development, conferences or online courses to personalize your growth.

17. Hangout+ with author experts via Google+ Hangouts -and have students do the same.

18. Have students collaborate and published work to closed circles of peers on Google+.

19. Download mobile learning apps from Google Play to stay on top of the latest trends in mobile learning- The Sandbox, for example.

20. Use Google Drive to respond to student writing via comments, or collaborate real-time with distance learners.

21. Join Google+ communities and participate in a persistent professional learning community.

22. Find webinars, eLearning courses, and other professional development resources to self-direct your own educator training.

23. Source MOOCs to supplement and extend the learning of students.

24. Use Google Scholar to review research on learning trends and strategies.

25. Use Google Search to find a blog-like TeachThought -to do all of the above for you.

26. In #highered? Sign up for a free G Suite for Education.

27. According to Google, explore ' User-powered coding environments, enrichment materials, and inspiration to empower diverse student populations.'

31. Help students understand YouTube usage and online safety.

32. Show students how they can 'type' with their voice in over 40 languages.

33. Use Google Expeditions to plan virtual field trips with/for students.

34. Use Google Keep to share simple meeting notes or key takeaways with colleagues.

35. Manage your own online identity -and that of your family-with Google's resources and tips.

36. Explore case studies to see how other classrooms are using Google Chromebooks. Even if your classroom doesn't use the Chromebook, almost any computer can function in the same way (on a Windows PC, hit F11 and you're halfway there).

37. Certify yourself as a Google for Education Certified Innovator.

38. Or train others in their Certified Trainer Program.

Google+ user (and sometimes TeachThought contributor) Kellie Ady offered 5 more, shown below.

39. Use Google Forms to gather feedback or give assessments (and use the Flubaroo script to auto-grade).

40. Create a Google Drive series of folders (by topic, standard, content area, grade level, etc.) to share resources with your Professional Learning Network all of the world.

41. Use Google Sheets to create charts and graphs with data-or better yet, have students create and chart their own progress.

42. Use blogger.com as a class website.

43. Use Google Presentations to crowdsource ideas (and use the "Research" tool to find free images, quotes, & information for presentations with citations included).

44. Use Google Calendar to create "appointment slots" for writing conferences or parent conferences.

TeachThought Reader Nicole Naditz sent these recommendations:

45. Use Google Custom Search to create search engines which will direct your students only to sites you've vetted. (Love this one!)

46. Use Google moderator to capture student opinions, foster dialog and support analysis and synthesis.

47. Explore the most cited education topics and articles in the field of teaching and learning.

48. Use Google maps to tell digital stories with text, photo and video all embedded into a trail students lay on the map. With screen capture software, they can even narrate their "journeys".

49. Connect art to your curriculum by creating and sharing galleries in Google Art Project. Or have students create, narrate (via screen capture) and share art galleries.

50. Use Google voice to have all students call and leave a short audio response to a prompt. (Make sure the google voice number is not forwarded to your cell phone!). Also great for providing students and parent with a number where they can call or text you without having your personal numbers.

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50 Ways Google Can Help You Become A Better Teacher

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50 Ways Google Can Help You Become A Better Teacher by TeachThought Staff While Apple products are known for their integration in classrooms, increasingly Google is the choice for schools and districts looking for something organized, useful, and inexpensive that's available on tablet, laptop, Chromebooks, desktop, smartphone, and more.

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Tagxedo turns words -- famous speeches, news articles, slogans and themes, even your love letters -- into a visually stunning word cloud

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Symbaloo software to display all different ideas and apps

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Symbaloo software to display all different ideas and apps

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Symbaloo: Bookmarks & Favorites - The #1 Homepage for Educators

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Easily save, share, and organize your favorites with Symbaloo; the best online bookmark manager for educators. Use Symbaloo as a homepage on any browser or Internet-enabled device. Create a free account today!

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Wordle software engages students in the process of kwoledge creation

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Wordle software engages students in the process of kwoledge creation

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wordle Is a website that combines vocabulary for all types of clouds in both Thai and Thai languages

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HOME - wordle Is a website that combines vocabulary for all types of clouds in both Thai and Thai languages

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Wordle is a wizard. "word cloud" from text as typed by the user The prominence of the cloud depends on the words that appear frequently in the original text. which can customize the characters according to the desired style, such as fonts, layout styles and font color Images created through Wordle can be used in...

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Dr. Puentedura graciously Creative Commons-licenses some of his papers to allow for reproduction on other sites with attribution.

I have taken one of the PDF files and turned it into a slideshow below. I have included links to the original PDF files in case you want to download it from Dr. Puentedura's site.

Bloom's and SAMR:
​My thoughts based on the work of R. Puentedura, A. Churches and L. Nelson

I feel teachers need to both create tasks that target the higher-order cognitive skills (Bloom's) as well as design tasks that have a significant impact on student outcomes (SAMR). A visual to illustrate that follows.

Educators will argue they have seen redefinition tasks that only target the remembering level or have a creative assessment that is only at the augmentation level. Of course that is true, but I believe we should be planning for technology tasks, activities, and assessments that include both the higher levels of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and the transformation area of the SAMR model.

My vision of how the Bloom's and SAMR models work together and intersect follows below.

Bloom's and TECH: My thoughts

Work by others

Videos by others

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SAMR is a model designed to help educators infuse technology into teaching and learning. Popularized by Dr. Ruben Puentedura, the model supports and enables teachers to design, develop, and ...

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Note: This is Part 2 in a 3-part series of posts about the SAMR Model. The last post in the series will examine the SAMR Model as it relates to digital badge learning design and teacher professional development. Access Part 1 here. Part 2: Digital Badge Learning, the SAMR Model and New Bloom's Reflection:
When I begin the badge learning design process, I draw upon a reference library that serves as a compass for ensuring that the learning is engaging and relevant for the students in mind. I think about the TPACK model, New Bloom's Taxonomy and the SAMR Model for technology integration and the principles of Connected Learning. In addition to these models and frameworks, I keep ISTE's Standards in mind, as well as my own sensibilities about what "good" teaching and learning looks and feels like, both from the learner and teachers' perspectives.

The learning pathways I designed for TAMRITZ's digital badge learning experiences are based on Quests. Each Quest is broken down into more granular learning pathways, "discover," "play" and "create." The learning pathways integrate a process approach to New Bloom's - we may not always be at the highest level of cognition and we may move between each layer more naturally, like a learning hive, rather than a linear, "all or nothing" approach. And ultimately, the badges at each milestone of the learning journey are designed to be a vibrant feedback loop.
Elements of a Badge Learning Feedback Loop:

Students receive feedback at each milestone in the learning journey, either from a teacher or a peer.

Students have opportunities to revisit and hone their work (as opposed to one and done)

Feedback supports students in pacing themselves and being self-directed learners.

TAMRITZ's Digital Badge Learning Pathways:
I ask myself, does each Quest move students up Bloom's Taxonomy and engage them in meaningful tasks and experiences?

read, reflect uncover, absorb, peruse, browse, propose, plan, view, review, categorize, annotate, document, search, watch, record, jot down, explain

Play
explore, experiment, prototype, demonstrate, try, test, orchestrate, tinker, model, draft, conduct, organize, lead, participate, volunteer, contribute, share

Create
compose, craft, design, develop, sculpt, publish, record, tell, animate, synthesize, produce, paint, build, construct, evaluate, assess

Here is a short check-list for considering elements of New Bloom's in your badge learning design and for engaged learning design in general:

Student-centered?

Student choice?

Student discovery?

Student-directed?

Student-generated content?

Learning by doing?

Opportunities to collaborate?

Opportunities to create unique artifacts of learning and publish globally?

Opportunities to communicate socially and with a variety of media?

As for the SAMR Model, like real learning, it is not a tidy linear model, but rather it is a messy, interconnected process. We may not always integrate technology tools that reflect transformative learning - sometimes we need to jot down notes or recall some basic information to move on to the next path in our learning journeys. We may weigh factors like time involved, learning goals and students' interests. Like the TPACK model, the design process occurs within a context, our learning communities and the students involved.

S - Substitution - tech serves as substitute for the "old way"

A - Augmentation - tech substitutes "old way" with a functional improvement

M - Modification - tech affords marked task redesign

R - Redefinition - tech affords new task creation, ways of learning, never before possible

I ask myself, where on the SAMR Model would I place the tasks in a given Quest? What tasks need to be altered in order to take the Quest to the transformation level, if appropriate within the context of the learning?

What are your thoughts?

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Note: This is Part 2 in a 3-part series of posts about the SAMR Model. The last post in the series will examine the SAMR Model as it relates to digital badge learning design and teacher professional development. Access Part 1 here.

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IMPORTANT ARTICLE ON SAMR Model for Technology Adoptionl and integration of 4C's

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IMPORTANT ARTICLE ON SAMR Model for Technology Adoptionl and integration of 4C's

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Creative Partneship (community dynamics and environment) Different Lenses

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Cyber bullying statistics refers to Internet bullying. Cyber bullying is a form of teen violence that can do lasting harm to young people. Bullying statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious problem among teens. By being more aware of cyber bullying, teens and adults can help to fight it.

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Cyber bullying statistics refers to Internet bullying. Cyber bullying is a form of teen violence that can do lasting harm to young people. Bullying statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious problem among teens. By being more aware of cyber bullying, teens and adults can help to fight it.

Cyber bullying affects many adolescents and teens on a daily basis. Cyber bullying involves using technology, like cell phones and the Internet, to bully or harass another person. Cyber bullying can take many forms:

Sending mean messages or threats to a person's email account or cell phone

Spreading rumors online or through texts

Posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites or web pages

Stealing a person's account information to break into their account and send damaging messages

Pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person

Taking unflattering pictures of a person and spreading them through cell phones or the Internet

Sexting, or circulating sexually suggestive pictures or messages about a person

Cyber bullying can be very damaging to adolescents and teens. It can lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Also, once things are circulated on the Internet, they may never disappear, resurfacing at later times to renew the pain of cyber bullying.

Many cyber bullies think that bullying others online is funny. Cyber bullies may not realize the consequences for themselves of cyberbullying. The things teens post online now may reflect badly on them later when they apply for college or a job. Cyber bullies can lose their cell phone or online accounts for cyber bullying. Also, cyber bullies and their parents may face legal charges for cyber bullying, and if the cyber bullying was sexual in nature or involved sexting, the results can include being registered as a sex offender. Teens may think that if they use a fake name they won't get caught, but there are many ways to track some one who is cyber bullying.

Despite the potential damage of cyber bullying, it is alarmingly common among adolescents and teens. According to Cyber bullying statistics from the i-SAFE foundation:

Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying.

More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.

Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.

Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs.

The Harford County Examiner reported similarly concerning cyber bullying statistics:

Around half of teens have been the victims of cyber bullying

Only 1 in 10 teens tells a parent if they have been a cyber bully victim

Fewer than 1 in 5 cyber bullying incidents are reported to law enforcement

1 in 10 adolescents or teens have had embarrassing or damaging pictures taken of themselves without their permission, often using cell phone cameras

About 1 in 5 teens have posted or sent sexually suggestive or nude pictures of themselves to others

Girls are somewhat more likely than boys to be involved in cyber bullying

The Cyberbullying Research Center also did a series of surveys that found these cyber bullying statistics:

Over 80 percent of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most popular form of technology and a common medium for cyber bullying

About half of young people have experienced some form of cyber bullying, and 10 to 20 percent experience it regularly

Mean, hurtful comments and spreading rumors are the most common type of cyber bullying

Girls are at least as likely as boys to be cyber bullies or their victims

Boys are more likely to be threatened by cyber bullies than girls

Cyber bullying affects all races

Cyber bullying victims are more likely to have low self esteem and to consider suicide

Parents and teens can do some things that help reduce the cyber bullying statistics:

Talks to teens about cyber bullying, explaining that it is wrong and can have serious consequences. Make a rule that teens may not send mean or damaging messages, even if someone else started it, or suggestive pictures or messages or they will lose their cell phone and computer privileges for a time.

Encourage teens to tell an adult if cyber bullying is occurring. Tell them if they are the victims they will not be punished, and reassure them that being bullied is not their fault.

Teens should keep cyber bullying messages as proof that the cyber bullying is occurring. The teens' parents may want to talk to the parents of the cyber bully, to the bully's Internet or cell phone provider, and/or to the police about the messages, especially if they are threatening or sexual in nature.

Try blocking the person sending the messages. It may be necessary to get a new phone number or email address and to be more cautious about giving out the new number or address.

Teens should never tell their password to anyone except a parent, and should not write it down in a place where it could be found by others.

Teens should not share anything through text or instant messaging on their cell phone or the Internet that they would not want to be made public - remind teens that the person they are talking to in messages or online may not be who they think they are, and that things posted electronically may not be secure.

Encourage teens never to share personal information online or to meet someone they only know online.

Keep the computer in a shared space like the family room, and do not allow teens to have Internet access in their own rooms.

Encourage teens to have times when they turn off the technology, such as at family meals or after a certain time at night.

Parents may want to wait until high school to allow their teens to have their own email and cell phone accounts, and even then parents should still have access to the accounts.

If teens have been the victims or perpetuators of cyber bullying they may need to talk to a counselor or therapist to overcome depression or other harmful effects of cyber bullying.

Sources:

Richard Webster, Harford County Examiner, "From cyber bullying to sexting: What on your kids' cell?" [online]

i-SAFE Inc., "Cyber Bullying: Statistics and Tips" [online]

Cyberbullying Research Center, "Summary of our cyberbullying research from 2004-2010" [online]

National Crime Prevention Council, "Cyberbullying" [online]

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Cyber Bullying Statistics - Bullying Statistics

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Cyber bullying statistics refers to Internet bullying. Cyber bullying is a form of teen violence that can do lasting harm to young people. Bullying statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious problem among teens. By being more aware of cyber bullying, teens and adults can help to fight it.

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    Creative thinking - how to get out of the box and generate ideas: Giovanni Corazza at TEDxRoma
  

      
    
  

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    Creative thinking - how to get out of the box and generate ideas: Giovanni Corazza at TEDxRoma
  

      
    
  

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Corazza is a full-time professor at the Alma Mater Studiorum at the University of Bologna, a member of the Executive Council, and the founder of the Marconi Institute of Creativity. He teaches science and the applications of creative thinking.

Why/Which/How/Where/What/When/Experiment. A quick jump out of the box is more insight full than a lifetime of standard thinking.

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Creative thinking - how to get out of the box and generate ideas: Giovanni Corazza at TEDxRoma

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    SCAMPER a creative thinking technique
  

      
    
  

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    SCAMPER a creative thinking technique
  

      
    
  

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How to use the SCAMPER creativity technique to come up with new and different ideas and thinking based on the work of Alex Osborn and Bob Eberle.

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Cesar Harada: How I teach kids to love science

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Cesar Harada: How I teach kids to love science

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At the Harbour School in Hong Kong, TED Senior Fellow Cesar Harada teaches citizen science and invention to the next generation of environmentalists. He's moved his classroom into an industrial mega-space where imaginative kids work with wood, metal, chemistry, biology, optics and, occasionally, power tools to create solutions to the threats facing the world's oceans. There, he instills a universal lesson that his own parents taught him at a young age: "You can make a mess, but you have to clean up after yourself."

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Cesar Harada: How I teach kids to love science

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At the Harbour School in Hong Kong, TED Senior Fellow Cesar Harada teaches citizen science and invention to the next generation of environmentalists. He's moved his classroom into an industrial mega-space where imaginative kids work with wood, metal, chemistry, biology, optics and, occasionally, power tools to create solutions to the threats facing the world's oceans.

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At the 2008 Serious Play conference, designer Tim Brown talks about the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play — with many examples you can try at home (and one that maybe you shouldn't).

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At the 2008 Serious Play conference, designer Tim Brown talks about the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play -- with many examples you can try at home (and one that maybe you shouldn't).

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Paolo Cardini: Forget multitasking, try monotasking

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Paolo Cardini: Forget multitasking, try monotasking

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People don'tt just cook anymore — they’re cooking, texting, talking on the phone, watching YouTube and uploading photos of the awesome meal they just made. Designer Paolo Cardini questions the efficiency of our multitasking world and makes the case for — gasp — "monotasking."

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Paolo Cardini: Forget multitasking, try monotasking

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People don't just cook anymore -- they're cooking, texting, talking on the phone, watching YouTube and uploading photos of the awesome meal they just made. Designer Paolo Cardini questions the efficiency of our multitasking world and makes the case for -- gasp -- "monotasking."

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Gabe Zichermann today's video games are making children smarter — and we should all embrace gamification.

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Gabe Zichermann today's video games are making children smarter — and we should all embrace gamification.

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Can playing video games make you more productive? Gabe Zichermann shows how games are making kids better problem-solvers, and will make us better at everything from driving to multi-tasking.

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Gabe Zichermann: How games make kids smarter

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Can playing video games make you more productive? Gabe Zichermann shows how games are making kids better problem-solvers, and will make us better at everything from driving to multi-tasking.

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From cave paintings to paper documents, we've communicated ideas with static words and basic images. Yet thanks to the power of the PDF format, this is no longer the case.

Why should you limit your documents to archaic standards when you could have interactive, multimedia versions?

Learn what you can do with the PDF format. With the help of 6 awesome examples of multimedia PDFs and handy links, you can learn how to turn your boring, static documents into multimedia wonders.
1. Multimedia Portfolio
When you need to quickly show off a vast array of what you can accomplish with the PDF, there's no easier way than in a PDF portfolio. They're a great way to combine a number of multimedia elements into a single format.

Here's one creative multimedia portfolio from the Washington Post and Slate Magazine that was recently published on the Adobe Acrobat Users Community ( AAUC) gallery. It showcases a profile of current US President, Barack Obama, while on the campaign trail to the White House. This PDF portfolio puts campaigning on a different and more creative level.

If you're a photographer, sound engineer or composer, you can use the AAUC to give your PDF portfolios some exposure and even get some tips on how to get it into top form. It's a great place to browse tutorials on PDF Portfolios, find general tutorial articles or check into the forums for tips and tricks.

Movement attracts the human eye, so why not attract more eyes with videos embedded directly into your PDF files. Here's a great PDF that puts the embedded video element center stage.

Created by Harry Hermus from dividi projects, this amazing PDF shows Pink Floyd musician David Gilmour'slive performance of "A Great Day For Freedom" embedded right into the PDF.

Embedding video in PDF files is not as hard you might think. You can even embed YouTube videos by downloading them and converting them to whatever compatible format you desire.
3. 3D Elements
Make that information leap off the page with 3D elements and highlights in your PDFs. With the right tools and some patience, you can even make them interactive.

In addition to a PDF Portfolio gallery, the AAUC also maintains a 3D PDF gallery for the PDF user community. Straight from the AAUC, this showcase gives you a first hand look at how complex a PDF graphic can get. Learn how to manipulate, rotate and view a 3D graphic right in the PDF file itself.

For more information on creating a 3D PDF, check out the AAUC where you can find a number of handy 3D resources.
4. Interactive Flash
Flash can be implemented through a variety of ways, though many of them will require another application or tool to help create the Flash items. Adding a Flash movie is just like adding a video (see above). Take a look at these e-brochures from PDFpictures.com. You can find a number of ways to incorporate Flash videos for different projects with different goals.

The AAUC gives you links to add not only a splash of action to your PDF but some interactivity as well thanks to these handy tips.
5. Audio Elements
Some information is best transferred via sound. So why not hook some audio into your PDF? Find out how to effectively integrate sound with your content in this e-brochure from Uniquely Merit that showcases group vacations to a number of different countries. Cultural music specific to each country plays in the background as you turn through the pages.

Creating an effective atmosphere with music is a quick and simple task and only requires a few steps. Simply click or you can attach the file via Acrobat> Tools> Advanced Editing Acrobat > Document >Attach a file.

You can also do it another way where you'll be able to add comments to the PDF as you go. This means that even if you're not present when someone is reading your PDF you can incorporate your thoughts and voice into it. By selecting Acrobat > Tools > Commenting (or Acrobat > Comments > Commenting Tools [version dependent]) you can get access to the tools you need to record and embed your comments where and when you need to.
6. PDF as a website
Another cool use of PDFs is to use them as an entirely interactive and portable website to promote yourself and your products. Take for example dividiprojects, a PDF website geared towards "Delivering sales, marketing and communications information...effectively. They specialize in creating interactive PDFs, e-brochures and presentations.

With interactive buttons, videos and sound you could be saving yourself time and money by simply forgoing a standard web presence and present your potential clients and business partners with one multimedia experience that they can even view offline if need be.

Discover real world examples of awesome multimedia PDFs by checking out the ebook, Dynamic Media: Music, Video, Animation, and the Web in Adobe PDF. In this book, author Bob Connolly puts together 11 case studies illustrating the nearly limitless potential of rich media in the PDF format.

Here's the summary of the ebook to get a sneak peek.

With these tips and some practice you'll be making some of the most mundane documents into extraordinary multimedia experiences your readers will love!

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From cave paintings to paper documents, we've communicated ideas with static words and basic images. Yet thanks to the power of the PDF format, this is no longer the case. Why should you limit your documents to archaic standards when you could have interactive, multimedia versions?

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Active learning refers to learning that requires students to do something as opposed to passively "receiving" knowledge by means of a lecture, video, or text produced by experts.

Active learning can assume many forms, from simple activities like minute papers and self-assessments to more complex ones like simulations and quarter-long collaborative projects. Regardless of its specific form, active learning typically emphasizes higher-order thinking skills and collaboration among peers.

Why Active Learning?

There are a number of reasons to incorporate active learning in your teaching practice:

Explaining Active Learning to Your Students

Some students resist peer learning and may even see it as an abdication of a faculty member's responsibility to teach. In a study conducted at Harvard University, students learned more from active learning experiences when compared to passively listening to a well-delivered, traditional lecture. However, the students mistakenly believed they learned less from active learning. To address misconceptions like these, it is often helpful to introduce new learning activities by talking about why you're including it in the course. Make sure you explain how the activities you've planned are linked with the course learning objectives. You might also consider asking students why they think you've asked them to engage in a certain activity. Among other reasons students may cite, active learning often...

involves skills necessary in life beyond the classroom;

can improve one's motivation to continue learning;

provides exposure to students from other backgrounds, interests and walks of life; etc.

References and Further Reading

​American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU). " It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success." April 2013.​

Barkley, E. F., Cross, K.P., & Major, C.H. (2005). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Freeman, S., et al. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410-8415. https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1319030111​

Johnson, D.W., Maruyama, G., Johnson, R., Nelson, D., & Skon, L. (1981). Effects of cooperative, competitive, and individualistic goal structures on achievement: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 89 (1), 47-62.

Millis, B.J. (2012). Active learning strategies in face-to-face courses. The Idea Center.

Natasi, B.K., & Clements, D.H. (1991). Research on cooperative learning: Implications for practice. School Psychology Review, 20 (1), 110-131.

O'Donnell, A., & O'Kelly, J. (1994) Learning from peers: Beyond the rhetoric of positive results. Educational Psychology Review, 6 (4), 321-350.

Prince, M. (2004), Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research. Journal of Engineering Education, 93: 223-231. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2004.tb00809.x​

Slavin, Robert. Cooperative learning: Theory, research and practice. (2nd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Springer, L., Stanne, M.E., & Donovan, S.S. (1999). Effects of small-group learning on undergraduates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research. 69 (1). pp 21-51.

Theobald, E. J., et al. (2020). Active learning narrows achievement gaps for underrepresented students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(12), 6476-6483. https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1916903117​​​

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Active learning refers to learning that requires students to do something as opposed to passively "receiving" knowledge by means of a lecture, video, or text produced by experts. Active learning can assume many forms, from simple activities like minute papers and self-assessments to more complex ones like simulations and quarter-long collaborative projects.

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Team building games tat promote critical thinking

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Team building games tat promote critical thinking

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by TeachThought Staff

One of education's primary goals is to groom the next generation of little humans to succeed in the 'real world.'

Yes, there are mounds of curricula they must master in a wide breadth of subjects, but education does not begin and end with a textbook or test.

Other skills must be honed, too, not the least of which is how to get along with their peers and work well with others. This is not something that can be cultivated through rote memorization or with strategically placed posters.

Students must be engaged and cooperation must be practiced, and often. The following team-building games can promote cooperation and communication, help establish a positive classroom environment and - most importantly - provide a fun, much-needed reprieve from routine.

See also Team-Building Games For The First Day Of School
10 Team-Building Games That Promote Collaborative Critical Thinking
You can purchase a classroom-ready version of team-building games that promote critical thinking here.
1. If You Build it...
This team-building game is flexible. First, divide students into teams and give them equal amounts of a certain material, like pipe cleaners, blocks, or even dried spaghetti and marshmallows.

Then, give them something to construct. The challenge can be variable (think: Which team can build the tallest, structurally-sound castle? Which team can build a castle the fastest?). You can recycle this activity throughout the year by adapting the challenge or materials to specific content areas.
Skills: Communication; problem-solving
This activity can get messy and may be suitable for older children who can follow safety guidelines when working with raw eggs. Teams must work together to find a way to 'save' the egg (Humpty Dumpty for elementary school students?) - in this case, an egg dropped from a specific height. That could involve finding the perfect soft landing, or creating a device that guides the egg safely to the ground.

Let their creativity work here.
Skills: Problem-solving, creative collaboration 3. Zoom
Zoom is a classic classroom cooperative game that never seems to go out of style. Simply form students into a circle and give each a unique picture of an object, animal, or whatever else suits your fancy. You begin a story that incorporates whatever happens to be on your assigned photo. The next student continues the story, incorporating their photo, and so on.
Skills: Communication; creative collaboration 4. Minefield
Another classic team-building game. Arrange some sort of obstacle course and divide students into teams. Students take turns navigating the 'minefield' while blindfolded, with only their teammates to guide them. You can also require students to only use certain words or clues to make it challenging or content-area specific.
Skills: Communication; trust
See also 10 Team-Building Games For A Friendlier Classroom
5. The Worst-Case Scenario
Fabricate a scenario in which students would need to work together and solve problems to succeed, like being stranded on a deserted island or getting lost at sea. Ask them to work together to concoct a solution that ensures everyone arrives safely. You might ask them to come up with a list of 10 must-have items that would help them most, or a creative passage to safety. Encourage them to vote - everyone must agree to the final solution.
Skills: Communication, problem-solving 6. A Shrinking Vessel
This game requires a good deal of strategy in addition to teamwork. Its rules are deceptively simple: The entire group must find a way to occupy a space that shrinks over time until they are packed creatively like sardines. You can form the boundary with a rope, a tarp or blanket being folded over, or small traffic cones. (Skills: Problem-solving; teamwork)
7. Go for Gold
This game is similar to the 'If you build it' game: Teams have a common objective but instead of each one having the same materials, they have access to a whole cache of materials. For instance, the goal might be to create a contraption with pipes, rubber tubing, and pieces of cardboard that can carry a marble from point A to point B in a certain number of steps, using only gravity.
Creative collaboration; communication; problem-solving 8. It's a Mystery
Many children (and grown-ups) enjoy a good mystery, so why not design one that must be solved cooperatively? Give each student a numbered clue. In order to solve the mystery - say, the case of the missing mascot - children must work together to solve the clues in order. The 'case' might require them to move from one area of the room to the next, uncovering more clues.
Skills: Problem-solving, communication
That playground classic is still a hit - not to mention inexpensive and simple to execute. For a unique variation, set up a multi-directional game by tying ropes in such a way that three or four teams tug at once. Some teams might choose to work together to eliminate the other groups before going head-to-head.
Skills: Teamwork; sportsmanship 10. Keep it Real
This open-ended concept is simple and serves as an excellent segue into problem-based learning. Challenge students to identify and cooperatively solve a real problem in their schools or communities. You may set the parameters, including a time limit, materials, and physical boundaries.
Skills: Problem-solving; communication
While education technology is a basic and crucial component of the 21st-century classroom, educators must still ensure that students are engaging with each other in meaningful ways. Team-building exercises are a great way to do this, and because of this, they will never go out of style.
Aimee Hosler is a writer and mother of two living in Virginia. She specializes in a number of topics, but is particularly passionate about education and workplace news and trends. She holds a B.S. in Journalism from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo and is a contributor to several websites including OnlineSchools.com; 10 Team-Building Games For Kids, Teenagers, or Adults

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10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

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by TeachThought Staff One of education's primary goals is to groom the next generation of little humans to succeed in the 'real world.' Yes, there are mounds of curricula they must master in a wide breadth of subjects, but education does not begin and end with a textbook or test.

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ACARA General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum 

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ACARA General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum 

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The document ‘Tracked changes to F-10 Australian Curriculum’ is available from the website http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum.html

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Critical and Creative Thinking as a General Capability in the Australian Curriculum (Petersen, J. 2015)

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Critical and Creative Thinking as a General Capability in the Australian Curriculum (Petersen, J. 2015)

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The article addresses the implications of creative and critical thinking as a general capability in the Australian educational curriculum.  These are changing with the 21st century as students need to acquire the knowledge and skills to assist them in being active and engaged citizens.

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Critical and Creative thinking by Petersen J

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A particular chapter, relevant to this area of study includes New Technologies, playful experiences and multimodal learning. The chapter includes discussion on children learning best through play (Piaget and Vygotsky) and then introduces the concept of Technology as play as children started to access computers in the 1980’s and beyond as children began
to explore virtual worlds in the digital age.

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Constructivism Theory and Use from a 21 Century Perspective (Yoders, S. 2014)

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Constructivism Theory and Use from a 21 Century Perspective (Yoders, S. 2014)

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Yoders’ paper describes the goal of developing an instructional unit into a curriculum.  The paper followed the instructional unit on the Blackboard learning environment and researched the positive effects on the integration of the model into the overall curriculum.  The resulting lesson plan included elements of scaffolding, cognitive apprenticeship, active learning, learner self implementation and self guided course progress.

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                                            Operating system: Implementing effective team-building activities
                                        
                                    
                                
                            

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                                            Operating system: Implementing effective team-building activities
                                        
                                    
                                
                            

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In this cyber age, members of groups sometimes need opportunities to build a real sense of community and learn to communicate with one another face to face. The activities in this book can be a great place to start. They help groups grow by helping members get to know and appreciate each other’s similarities and differences, engaging participants in topics and issues relevant to the group, and encouraging individual contributions. First, though, let’s look at some tips for implementing effective team-building activities. The suggestions offered in this chapter, while specific to the activities provided in this book, can be adapted to any type of team-building activity.

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In order for growth activities to be successful, you as the facilitator should know your purpose, your audience, your environment, the needed equipment and supplies, and when to change plans to adapt to the participants.

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Reflective Questions for effective teachers

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Reflective Questions for effective teachers

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This table considers a range of questions that are relevant for teachers to consider while they are creating and conducting classes. The article is also relevant to show why it is important for teachers to be in place conducting lessons, and not machines.