Top 10 Reader Favorites in February

1. Personal Learning Networks for Educators: 10 Tips

I often begin my workshop on personal learning networks (PLN) for educators by asking these questions: Who is in your learning network? Who do you learn from on a regular basis? Who do you turn to for your own professional development? Some educators are lucky enough to learn from their coworkers or colleagues at their site. Far too many others feel isolated in their room or office, and need to meet with counterparts from other sites in order to have a professional learning experience. All educators (and learners) can benefit from extending their own personal learning network online – beyond the walls of their schools, the boundaries of their districts, and the limits of their experience. Read more …

2. 10 Things School Leaders Should Do to Boost Blended Learning

During a couple breakout sessions at a Rhode Island conference on Innovation Powered by Technology (#iptrideconf) I spent time with teachers and principals thinking about next steps as they prepare for the shift to personal digital learning. We discussed 10 next steps. Read more…

3. 10 Benefits & 10 Concerns About the Shift to Digital Learning

Rhode Island is fortunate to have Deborah Gist as commissioner, she’s a real chief for change. Gist and her team held a digital learning summit in Providence today. I had the good fortune to spend the day talking to teachers and principals about the shift to personal digital learning. They told me what excites them about the shift and the stuff we need to worry about. Read more…

4. FLVS Students Outperform State Average In AP Courses

Despite late claims that online and blended learning students are underperforming, Florida Virtual School® (FLVS) students are excelling at meeting global expectations in learning. FLVS announced today that students enrolled in its 15 Advanced Placement® (AP) courses outperformed Florida state averages by 12 percent, equal to global averages. Read more…

5. Good Work: 10 Quotes on Measuring Your Life

My friends from Innosight recently reminded me of Clay Christensen’s article “How Will You Measure Your Life?” After a great weekend with my wife and friends, I reread it waiting for a flight. Here’s 10 quotes that made me stop and think. Read more…

6. Why Don’t We Value Spatial Intelligence?

Consider this. Ever since you were a kid, can you remember taking a standardized test that didn’t have a math or verbal section? I can’t. Pretty much all of them have math, science, English, reading, and maybe writing sections. Even when you got to high school, and you took the SAT or ACT, there were verbal, math, and science sections. Read more…

7. DJ Your Classroom: The Digital Playlist

Wednesday was Digital Learning Day, and the Renfro Manor celebrated in the traditional manner with high-fructose digitalization: Youtube, Pandora, Twitter, Moodle, Cabanga, Skype, G-talk, Blackboard, Time4Learning, Facebook, LinkedIn, NCVPS, Apple TV, IMs, playlists, and then I dropped the kids off at school. Read more…

8. MIND Launches ST Math Touch for Tablets at FETC

MIND Research Institute launched today its new ST Math® Touch, which combines touch-screen animations with the interactive and visual math game, at the Florida Educational Technology Conference (FETC) in Orlando, Fla. Read more…

9. Get Up & Dance: 5 Ways to Motivate Zombie Students

The saddest moments I’ve experienced recently with the students I work with, especially with the jaded older ones who are close to graduating, have occurred when they have told me, “I don’t have any passions” or “I can’t remember the last time I felt intrinsically motivated.” Read more…

10. ST Math Demonstrates Positive Results at Las Vegas Elementary Schools

Clark County School District released Tuesday positive results from a five-year pilot with MIND Research Institute’s ST Math, a visual learning math game. Read more…