The Future of Libraries - what does it look like?

Libraries, like schools, are changing with technology. The typical library full of books will be going away and be replaced with a space for accessing digital resources and getting help finding resources. Many libraries are struggling to change and even attract visitors.

Here is an infographic with some interesting details about the library of the future:



Future of Libraries


Here is an article with more about this. https://www.webcheckout.net/blog/library-future/







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Infographic on 21st Century Classroom - what do you think?

I was sent the following infographic about the "21st Century Classroom" this week. As I was looking at it, I found some interesting statistics and agree that Project based learning, social media, and technology are all important for education.

What do you think about the information presented below?


Components of a 21st Century Classroom - An infographic by the team at Open Colleges

21 Things for the 21st Century Educator

21 Things for the 21st Century Educator is a site based on the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers. It has a huge amount of resources that help teachers learn about technologies and how to use them in their schools to improve teaching and learning.

It includes information, links, resources, tips, and how-to's about collaboration tools, differentiated instruction, blogging, productivity tools and much more (21 categories!).

There are also some links to NETS and other Ed Tech resources for teachers.

I've found some really great resources and ideas on this site and highly recommend it to all educators.

The site was recently updated and contains even more great resources.

Welcome back to School!

Welcome back to school! I hope everyone had a great summer and was able to relax and recharge. We started this week with teachers back on Monday, freshmen on Wednesday, and all students today. It's been a little hectic, but things are working out.

Here are some resources to help you get the year started.

Create a Personal Learning Network - a PLN is an excellent resource for help, advice, and sharing ideas.

Google for Educators - Google has a huge number of free resources for teachers and students. Check them all out (they're all free).

New Teacher Advice - some good advice for new teachers (and old ones too!)

Discovery Education New Teacher Survival Central - a great resource for all teachers (and free).

List of Discovery Education Resources for Educators - very good, inclusive list of Discovery Educations resources.

Overview of some free technology that can help you be more organized and efficient. 

Some great websites and blogs to check out:

Tech and Learning Magazine - great magazine with educational and technology information and resources. Free subscription for teachers.

Edutopia - George Lucas foundation site dedicated to education.

Twitter - Twitter is a great resource for educators, especially #edchat.
(and follow me on Twitter @daveandcori)

Enjoy these resources and share yours with others.

I Heart EdTech Blog Swap

Here is a post from my "I heart EdTech Blog Swap":

What’s the buzz? Tell me what’s happening….

By K. Evans

Ok, so it is a line from the 1970’s Rock Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Yep…that dates me! As I was deciding on my topic, the terms: 21st Century Education, 21st Century Schools, 21st Century Learner, etc began to bounce around my head, as these are buzz words which are circulating in our district.

So what about the 21st Century Learner? Schools? Education? Classroom? What’s the buzz?

The technological revolution is upon us and has opened the door to a wealth of information which has the capabilities to enhance the educational structure we offer to our students. The need to change both the role of the educator and meet the demands of the future is imperative. The majority of educators are modifying their teaching approach by facilitating learning, instead of simply dispensing knowledge.

With this said, I believe, Tony Wagner’s “Seven Survival Skills for Careers, College and Citizenship for the 21st Century”, exemplifies exactly what is necessary for the coming century.

· Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

o Buzz Words: Reason, analyze, make judgments, solve, make decisions

· Collaboration across Networks and Leading by Influence

o Buzz Words: Engage, part of a team, work with others, contribute, collaborate

· Agility and Adaptability

o Buzz Words: Flexibility, accept feedback effectively – positive or negative, compromise, change

· Initiative and Entrepreneurialism

o Buzz Words: Self-directed learner, commitment, time management, lifelong learner

· Effective Oral and Written Communication

o Buzz Words: Articulate clearly/effectively, listen, utilize various/numerous medias and technologies, diversity

· Accessing and Analyzing Information

o Buzz Words: Critical thinking, evaluate, validity of information, process

· Curiosity and Imagination

o Buzz Words: The whys, utilizing various perspectives, generating new ideas

I came across this quote: “If we teach today the way we were taught yesterday… we aren't preparing students for today or tomorrow.” As you know, our students are entering the classroom with a wealth of pre-exposed knowledge to technology and are aware of what the internet has to offer.

The role of technology in the 21^st century is both indispensable and crucial. It offers a vast array of learning opportunities to both the educator and student. As educators, it is essential for us to evolve with this generation and with the evolution of technology into our daily lives. Two great videos to view (if you have not already) are:

· A Vision of K-12 Student Today: This project was created to inspire teachers to use technology in engaging ways to help students develop higher level thinking skills. Equally important, it serves to motivate district level leaders to provide teachers with the tools and training to do so. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A-ZVCjfWf8&feature=related

· Learning to Change Changing to Learn: Learning to Change Changing to Learn Advancing K-12 Technology Leadership, Consortium for School Networking (COSN) Video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tahTKdEUAPk&NR=1

To read more about the 21^st century learner, please visit the following site - edorigami. http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/21st+Century+Learners. Andrew Churches has created a very informative and insightful wiki about the 21 century learner.

Peace,

K. L. Evans

www.dovewhisper.com

http://techie-bytes.blogspot.com/