A crowd-sourced collection of tips and ideas for how to use Google Forms in the classroom. This Google Docs Presentation will continue to grow with additional viewer contributions. -JL
One of the biggest fallacies that students hold is that they have a set amount of intelligence, or are born with a certain set of talents, aptitudes, and abilities. According to Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: A New Psychology for Success (Random, 2006), this is called a fixed-mindset, and is the culprit behind most students’ inability or reluctance to push themselves and achieve. The solution to this is developing and nurturing in students a growth mindset, which recognizes that ability and success are the products of effort and persistence. Dweck contends that simply knowing about mindsets can influence students’ motivation to try, risk failure, and try again. Another strategy is to have them read and explore highly successful people and their path to success; often, like Jack White below, they worked really hard and overcame a lot of adversity – not just from others, but from within themselves – to accomplish what they did. I highly recommend reading Dweck’s book, especially as you consider how you might reach those students who most resist instruction or refuse to be challenged by possible failure. It’s a revelation.
To complement my recommendation, I’d like to share this post from Brain Pickings, one of my favorite blogs – just incredibly well-written and researched. This posting also discusses the challenges of creativity and ability, and how those that succeed push through with effort, not simply a naturally born ability to be great. It’s really lovely; consider sharing the video of Jack White (whom your students will recognize, more than Tchaikovsky) and his discussion of what it takes to be creative each day:
Since I’m on a re-blogging tear today, I just have to share and recommend this brief article on student assessment. In particular, the questions Heather Wolpert-Gawron asks when developing her course assessments help to frame your assignments and projects within solid assessment criteria. The chart she shares (click for the .pdf) helps to quickly analyze your assignments and projects to see whether they meet this criteria. And finally, the rubric she uses (for writing assessment) can easily be adapted to fit several other disciplinary needs. For those who are designing or re-designing courses right now, check this out:
The format of the new blog needs a little polishing, but the tips are very solid, especially the first Professor Dabney offers – invest your students in their learning experience. You can do this in several ways, by having students help develop the syllabus (lead a class discussion on what goes in the syllabus to govern the class, evaluate the learning of the students, and establish the pace and structure of assignments), by giving them choice when selecting how and what they study (such as choosing to do an oral presentation over a final paper, or selecting blog posts and blog moderation rather than response papers), and more. Dabney suggests asking for frequent feedback from students as a way to improve your own practice and validate their voice and opinion in their own education.
There are plenty of practical and provocative tips here, so please check it out.
Will Richardson argues for radically changing how we teach, how we approach student learning, and integrating technology into the classroom. He’s a very compelling (though fast) speaker. This is a short video reminiscent of Sir Ken Robinson’s ideas on education and change.
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Brainpickings.org
Absolutely essential blog to follow! Priceless commentary and resources on creativity, learning, and arts and sciences. Highly recommend!
Cooperative Catalyst
Offers dialogue and solutions to critical issues in education today; written by a vetted panel of articulate practitioners and researchers in education. Very topical.
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his blog, maintained by the First Year Writing program at Montclair State University, is intended to provide a forum where educators of all stripes can benefit from sharing, discussing and drawing upon our combined experience and expertise.
Deep Down in the Classroom
This blog, maintained by the First Year Writing program at Montclair State University, is intended to provide a forum where educators of all stripes can benefit from sharing, discussing and drawing upon our combined experience and expertise. Instructors c
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A quality mixture of topics conerning education from K-12 to post-secondary. Tips, strategies, topical issues, and expert bloggers.
English Learning in Our World
A British scholar teaching in Verona, Italy blogs about teaching, learning, reading and writing English.
Linguistics in the Classroom
Wonderful active blog on language, learning, and classroom practice in grammar and linguistics.
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