Recently found … 10/30/2009

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Getting It Wrong: Surprising Tips on How to Learn

Great article on research that supports a different approach to learning – including some interesting strategies.

For years, many educators have championed “errorless learning,” advising teachers (and students) to create study conditions that do not permit errors. For example, a classroom teacher might drill students repeatedly on the same multiplication problem, with very little delay between the first and second presentations of the problem, ensuring that the student gets the answer correct each time.

The idea embedded in this approach is that if students make errors, they will learn the errors and be prevented (or slowed) in learning the correct information. But research by Nate Kornell, Matthew Hays and Robert Bjork at U.C.L.A. that recently appeared in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition reveals that this worry is misplaced. In fact, they found, learning becomes better if conditions are arranged so that students make errors.

Read the rest of the article here.

via Scientific American.

Recently found … 10/25/2009

  • “BudgetSketch™ is an innovative, intuitive tool consumers are using to gain a handle on where their money will go, not where it has gone. Using a first in class proprietary system, BudgetSketch maps out where your money will go as it comes in, instead of simply showing you where it’s been spent. Isn’t it time to get intentional with your money? “

    tags: budget, finance, money, management

  • Waver allows you to keep a single-column view of Google Wave open on your desktop at all times from which you can read, compose, and keep an eye on what’s happening in your Wave inbox.

    tags: marketplace, googlewave, google

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Recently found … 10/24/2009

  • “The focus of this website is the Motivational Framework for Culturally Responsive Teaching known to many in the Seattle Public Schools as the 4 Rs: Relationships, Relevance, Rigor and Results.

    The various components are presented through:
    -video clips
    -selected readings
    -resources
    -interactive blogs”

    tags: PLC, professional development, culture, teacher resources

  • “The Seattle Public Schools’ Balanced Literacy Program is derived from qualitative and quantitative research in best practices for reading and writing instruction. It is a program that is showing success in various urban school districts throughout the country. The focus of Dearborn Park’s work this year is to implement guided reading throughout the school resulting in effective, appropriate reading instruction and success for all students. “

    tags: literacy, balanced literacy, professional development, teacher resources, reading

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Recently found … 10/22/2009

  • “PurposeGames.com is host to educational quiz and trivia games created by its members. In just a few minutes, you can create your very own game to share with your friends!”

    tags: game, game design, gaming, create

  • whosegame is a beta stage online community gaming site that will let users upload & share games or game assets they designed. The main concept of the site consists in providing user generated content, giving the opportunity to Creators (programmers, artists & game designer) to show their talents in game creation.
    Visitors of whosegame do not expect each and every available game to be a first-class game; but they know that the ones highlighted on the front page will be

    tags: game, create, flash, game design, gaming

  • Fantastic 18 chapter video explanation of the development of the universe from NASA astrophysicist and 2006 Nobel Prize winner, John Mather.

    tags: nasa, science, astronomy, universe, video

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Recently found … 10/17/2009

  • “As part of the collaborative Inclusive Practices project, a digital video case library of “best practices” is being developed to illustrate how teachers in actual classroom settings are planning and implementing curriculum, instructional techniques and materials, and assessment strategies to provide access to the general education program for students with disabilties.”

    tags: best practices, videos, professional development

  • “Commonly used wherever people get online — whether by text message, IM, SMS, email, cell phone, iPhone, Blackberry, PDA, handy or pager — and as seen on blogs, chat rooms, Web sites, games, and newsgroup postings — these abbreviations are used by people to correspond with each other. Acronyms are an integral part of computer culture. The use of acronyms grew rapidly on the Internet and created a new lingo, known as shorthand, online jargon and leetspeak. “

    tags: texting, text, dictionary, acronyms, IM, netlingo, lingo

  • Good information about using twitter in the classroom

    tags: twitter, social networking

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.