The Pedagogy of the 21st Century

Best Teaching Tip of the Week

Make Drag and Drop Game
   “Another way to make simple "Drag and Drop" games for your class is to download Snap! by Lectora. It's about $100, but the license doesn’t expire and you can install it in PowerPoint on your home and work computer. Snap also has features like ‘in PowerPoint’ quizzes and games. I’ve found it really useful for ‘check your understanding’ activities. You can get a free 30 day trial at this link if you want to have some fun and play around with it on your own. http://rapid-e-learning.trivantis.com/” - James Oudard, Elizabethtown, KY

Best Teaching Tip of the Week

SoftChalk
   “We have acquired a content course design (well, lesson design really) software called SoftChalk. I really like the activities you can add--drag 'n drop, crossword, quiz poppers, etc. It's a little expensive, but they do offer a 30-day free trial. Check it out.” -Paula Calahan, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN

Best Teaching Tip of the Week

Make Personal Connection
   “My top best practice idea is this: Read every student introduction post and make one personal connection with that student in my response to them (i.e. "I also love that movie...especially the part where...." or "Oh, I see you live on a farm! I live in the city, but I raise chickens. Do you have chickens on your farm?" or "I see that you work part time at Applebees. I have to say that their fried onion appetizer is my favorite.") Kind of dumb, I know, but for me to make that connection online with each student helps me get to know my students more quickly.” -Rebecca George Bandy, Northwestern College, Shoreview, MN

Best Teaching Tip of the Week

Yes, Call Your Students
   “I personally CALL every student the week before class begins (or however many days in advance my D2L opens.) (This is for a college class.) I have already e-mailed them about the course at this time. If I can talk to them personally great, but I also leave voice messages. I state that they have an email with directions for logging into the class, and their first assigment is already up. Then I start monitering the site to make sure students are getting in.
   “When students do not log into the class before the first day, this is a red flag. Then I TRY to talk to each student either before, during, or after class to make sure that they have the INTERNET. This of course does NOT mean that they will take my suggestion and drop if they can not access the internet regularly. But at least I will have let them know what is expected.” -Sara O’Hara, Pima Community College, Tucson

Where Some of Our Best Teachers Are

Want to know where some of our best young teachers are?

Well, they are in our Gender in the Classroom online course.  But too many are working as tellers in banks, "in the medical field" as one put it, and other jobs outside the field of education.

The reason is that they cannot get jobs as elementary school teachers.

A shame, because they have an enthusiasm, a base of experience that older teachers do not have, and a different more 21st century perspective that will enable their students to learn lots. 

Best Teaching Tip of the Week

Screen cast tool
   “For 15 minute or less embeddable and linkable screen casts, screencast-o-matic is simple and fast. You can download them for future use, save them on the site, or embed or link them immediately.”  -Kelli Stair, South Bend Community School, South Bend, IN