Leveraging Technology - V: TeacherTube

Another great technology resource (that is Free!) is TeacherTube:

TeacherTube is an online community for sharing instructional videos. It is a site where teachers can post videos designed for students to view in order to learn a concept or skill.

Among other things, with TeacherTube, community members can:

1. Upload, tag and share videos worldwide.
2. Browse hundreds of videos uploaded by community members.
3. Integrate TeacherTube videos on websites using video embeds or APIs.
4. Make videos public or private - users can elect to broadcast their videos publicly or share them privately with those they invite.

TeacherTube - Try it out! http://www.teachertube.com/index.php

The Keirsey Tests

The Keirsey Temperament and Character are interesting and resemble the Meyers-Briggs test. The following link takes you to a location on line (scored immediately.)

Participants will enjoy taking the tests and learning about themselves from the scores they receive. The scores can also be used by instructors at the beginning of courses to learn about students and better plan instructional strategies, emphases, and individualized responses.

http://www.keirsey.com/

Give it a try; it is interesting and rather fun...

Life Experiences and Learning

I read the following quote on the web this morning. I am still trying to decide if I think it is true.

“The more life change events an adult encounters, the more likely he or she is to seek out learning opportunities. Just as stress increases as life-change events accumulate, the motivation to cope with change through engagement in a learning experience increases.”

Can it be true that the more we have experienced, the more we want to learn? I am going to have to think about this and come up with some examples.

Roots of Adult Learning Principles

Since the 1970s, adult learning theory has been based on four assumptions:

1. As they mature, adults tend to prefer self-direction.
2. Adults' experiences are a rich resource for learning. Active participation in planned experiences—such as discussions or problem solving exercises can createa powerful learning experience.
3. Adult learners' needs and interests are the starting points and serve as guideposts for training activities.
4. Adults are competency-based learners, meaning that they want to learn a skill or acquire knowledge that they can apply to their immediate circumstances.

"The Ultimate Educator" by Edmunds, C., K. Lowe, M. Murray, and A. Seymour, 1999.

Leveraging Technology IV - Kindle

Okay, I confess; I am an unrepentant technology and gadget freak. One of my current favorites is the Kindle e-book from Amazon. This wireless portable reading device has great appeal to tech-savvy readers, and it also has great potential for sharing information and learning.

Though the Kindle is primarily designed to purchase books from Amazon and then make it readable on a digital screen; it is also a mobile device that creates a connection to the Internet. The capacity to distribute educational materials with this ingenious technology is as yet an essentially untapped resource.

What educational possibilities will be realized through using Kindle in the future? Our imaginations are the only limit…

Using Humor to Engage Your Audience

As anyone who knows me will tell you, I like to use humor in my presentations. I have always found it beneficial in engaging the participants, and it helps to improve student learning.

The creative development of humor in the virtual classroom deals with "how" to teach, not "what" to teach. The use of humor is a teaching tool that increases the amount of "what" that is actually learned by students. Using humor can have a very positive effect on any classroom (or boardroom) experience.

Don’t be afraid. Use some humor in your presentation. Your audience will be appreciative.

Coaching in the Workplace - Part IX

We have discussed the need to use questions to get buy-in from the people we coach. There are questions and there are questions, however.

- Some go for depth in a helpful way and gain buy-in

- Others sound like a prosecuting attorney

When using questions, don't fall into the trap of sounding like an interragator. Find ways to make your questions supportive.