All entries by this author

Will Richardson

Jul 7th, 2009 | By Jeff | Category: Quote of the Day

“…the fact is that students continue to explore networking online, few of them are being taught how to leverage its potential and benefit from the deep learning that can ensue.”



Flannery O’Connor

Jun 7th, 2009 | By Jeff | Category: Quote of the Day

“There’s many a best-seller that could have been prevented by a good teacher.”



“Put Up a Parking Lot” – On Your Board!

Jun 7th, 2009 | By Jeff | Category: Grade Level, High School, Jeff's Playground, Middle School, The Toolbox

It’s June, and your class is not asking questions about last night’s reading assignment. They read it, but they sit, cold stares hitting you from every direction, and there’s just a week of school left. Don’t just stand there! Put up a parking lot! Read more for an effective (and simple) way to engage your students in discussion – any time of the year!



The Library of Congress is Using Flickr: Shouldn’t Teachers?

May 25th, 2009 | By Jeff | Category: Jeff's Playground, Secrets of the Masters, Stories of Growth

In recent months, the Library of Congress has piloted a new photo series on the photo-intensive website, Flickr. If you’ve never been to Flickr, it’s essentially a website where photographers from around the world are uploading and sharing their photos, and commenting on the photographs other people post.

In this case, Flickr has teamed up with an unlikely photographer (or should I say archive of American historical photography), and the results are literally breathtaking. One example alone is Jack Delano’s “In the waiting room of Union Station”, taken in Chicago, Illinois. The photo features two officers who create shadows in spotlight-like beams of sunshine coming in from the gothic windows above.



Daniel H. Pink

May 17th, 2009 | By Jeff | Category: Quote of the Day

“The 6 career secrets no one ever told you: 1) There is no plan. 2) Think strengths, not weaknesses. 3) It’s not about you. 4) Persistence trumps talent. 5) Make excellent mistakes. 6) Leave an imprint.”



Wordle: The Anti-Muddle

May 16th, 2009 | By Jeff | Category: Jeff's Playground, Technology in the Classroom

Heard of Wordle? Check the newest “Technology in the Classroom” minute to implement Wordle with a few clicks. The blog post is itself “Wordled,” so not only will you better understand what the site can do, but you will see application and ways in which the site can be used in the classroom. Click now!



Making PowerPoint Possible: Slideshare Works

May 12th, 2009 | By Jeff | Category: Jeff's Playground, Technology in the Classroom

Ever wanted an easier way to share your PowerPoint presentations? Now there’s an easy way to share without the need to have the software on the viewer’s computer. Read on to discover what Slideshare can do for you.



Simple Pleasures: Using Technology, Using Google Scholar

May 4th, 2009 | By Jeff | Category: Jeff's Playground, Technology in the Classroom

Former students of mine recently informed me that Google Scholar is being widely used as a research tool at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and since finding this out, I’ve made ample use of it myself.



Team-Based Learning Gets Attention in Singapore

May 4th, 2009 | By Jeff | Category: High School, Secrets of the Masters, Stories of Growth

Team-based learning, an educational method primarily conceived for business schools, was developed in the early 1980s by Larry K. Michaelsen, now a professor of management at the University of Central Missouri in the United States. An alternative to traditional lecturing, this method uses a mix of individual and group processes to solve problems.

In recent years, some medical schools have recognized the advantage of active learning that encourages critical thinking and have started to experiment with Professor Michaelsen’s techniques.

Now, the Duke-N.U.S. Graduate Medical School, in Singapore, has gone a step further, applying this method to its entire basic science education.