Staff Picks: mLearning, ePortfolios, intellectual work & Rethinking ED

Tom Picks “Celling a Great Idea”

Tom says, “I agree that the flip from bans to widespread daily use will happen fast and that the BS era (before smartphone that is) will soon seem like a strange and distant past.”

Caroline Picks “Technology Can Make Students More Intellectual“

Caroline says, “Christina Yu from Knewton makes the case that thoughtful uses of technology can make students more intellectual. She points to higher levels of engagement, more exploration, adaptive content, and professional quality publication.”

Karen Picks “Rethinking the U.S. Department of Education”

Karen says, “Smarter government with a goal of being more innovative will help move our country forward with confidence. The DOE can and is moving forward toward that goal.”

Sarah Picks “Why My Six-Year-Old Students Have Digital Portfolios”

Sarah says, “I was so impressed to learn that Kathy’s students were creating ePortfolios and even more impressed with the level of feedback we received about other six-year-old students who were doing equally amazing things in the classroom. In theory, students today could catalog their growth and achievements over the course of several years to demonstrate competency and learning at the end of a K-12 career. A student’s drawer of best works could live on the Web to share with teachers, parents, family members, prospective employers, colleges and more.”