“If This, Then That” (IFTTT, pronounced as IFT) is the best way to automate tasks and connect different parts of your internet social ventures.
I think it’s best explained with an example:
I use Diigo (see earlier post: Why I love Diigo) but also like the functionality that Evernote offers. I did not want to have two separate curating and archiving tools, I want them to talk to eachother. IFTTT can do that:
The holidays have started and it is nearly Christmas. Now is a good time to take a step back and be reminded that it’s about making the most of the fleeting moments that we are lucky enough to be conscious of in the great lottery of the uni/multiverse.
I’ll start with a famous creation story by the environmentalist David Brower. He calculated that if the earth was only 6 days old, human beings would have only been around less than half a second before mid night on the last night. When I read things like that, as a parent, a history teacher and a human being, I am struck by how we are simultaneously insignificant and very powerful.
I am also including the first page of Bill Bryson’s masterful “A Short History of Nearly Everything”. He makes it very clear that we are nothing but star dust; I love it. We should all realise that our daily worries and stresses are insignificant in the greater scheme of things…. Continue reading “Taking a step back to see the greater scheme of things….”
I am on a steep learning curve when it comes to criterion-referenced assessment. Like many teachers, I have used the standard norm-referenced assessment model for years. This is recognizable to everyone, for example: Question 1 asks for three main points. If the student identified the three points, three marks are awarded. In contrast to this, criterion-referenced assessment works with pre-defined criteria which describe increasing levels of success in understanding the curriculum. The more I read about it and work with it in the MYP and the IB DP, the more I see how using criterion-referenced assessment allows for a more sophisticated understanding and assessment of a student’s learning, skill and knowledge.
The example below shows what an MYP criterion (in “Individuals and Society”) looks like: Continue reading “Good learning, criterion-referenced assessment, feedback and learning objectives”
Teachers play a vital role in fostering a positive attitude towards learning. John Hattie, Carol Dweck and Daniel Pink have done great work on researching student efficacy, mindset and motivation. In this post, I have collated some of their ideas.
Carol Dweck is the key authority regarding the growth mindset. She makes the following points:
Hattie suggests that self-efficacy, aspirational, and other psychosocial influences account for considerable variance in academic achievement.
a Dweck shows how to address this by promoting a Growth Mindset in the classroom. Continue reading “Motivation, mindset, students’ efficacy”
Have you experienced that moment where an academic task or question seemed so big that it made you slightly anxious? I have, and I see my students go through it too. Research essays, the IB Extended Essay and the IB Internal Assessment are all big academic inquiry processes where students are required to research and grapple with a large amount of information that has to be distilled and synthesised into a coherent and sophisticated argument.
Professor Carol Kuhlthau has researched the research process. I find her notion of the “uncertainty principle” very interesting and recognisable. She describes it as follows:
Below is a visual representation of the uncertainty experienced during a research / inquiry process: Continue reading “Kuhlthau, the research process”
A while back some #histedchat participants were asked to write an article about how they use Twitter and #histedchat as Professional Development and as a Personal Learning Network. True to form, we used Twitter to write the article collaboratively. It was put together by these wonderful colleagues: Jan Molloy, Catherine Hart, Matt Esterman, Simon McKenzie, Matt Schultz, Ilja VanWeringh, James Oliver and Matthew Ward. The result has now been published in the HTAV‘s (History Teachers Association Victoria) magazine “Agora”.
Please download the article here: HTAV Twitter Article
Continue reading “HTAV Agora Article: A little birdy told me….”
This week I tried hexagons with my students. It worked really well.
The beauty of following inspiring educators on Twitter is that you benefit from their ideas and knowledge. I first saw Hexagon learning on @jivespin’s blog, which led me to David Didau, NoTosh, SOLO (HookEd), Chris Harte and TheLearningGeek. All explain how these versatile hexagons encourage deeper thinking and rich conversations in the classroom. Hexagon learning can be used in ANY subject and for any topic. Continue reading “Hexagon learning: making and justifying connections”
I have to share this: Using a scanner app is a great way to collect and share resources with your students.
Sometimes you are not around a photocopier or scanner and you might want to copy text from a book, or a diagram from a textbook. Taking a normal photo with your phone is an option, but particularly when photographing text, it just doesn’t come out very well. In that case, I recommend you download a scanner app for your phone. The result is of a very high quality and it just looks better than a normal photo.
I have tried these two apps: Scanner Pro (my preferred one, $2.99 when I last checked) and JotNot (free when I last checked).
Below are two examples. I use this technique a lot. Perfect for when I’m reading a history book on the train and want to share key quotes or passages with my students. Continue reading “Using a scanner app for resources”
There are many essay writing frameworks out there. I am sure you know the old hamburger image and the TEEL structure, but I find that these models do not convey the sophistication and analytical depth that is needed for a good paragraph / essay for IB History. So I came up with my own. I am calling it TEAC (Click on the poster):
Some further explanation:
Some good links:
Here’s a good question for you: Why can’t I just use Google for my research? The pros and cons can be found here.
Love your conjunctions:
|
Agreement / Addition / Similarity |
Opposition / Limitation / Contradiction |
Examples / Support / Emphasis |
Conclusion / Summary / Restatement |
|
in the first place not only … but also in addition coupled with first, second, third equally important by the same token equally moreover comparatively correspondingly similarly furthermore additionally |
although this may be true in contrast different from of course …, but on the other hand on the contrary at the same time in spite of even so / though be that as it may then again above all in reality after all but (and) still unlike or (and) yet while albeit besides although instead whereas despite conversely otherwise however rather nevertheless regardless notwithstanding |
in other words for one thing as an illustration in this case for this reason that is to say important to realize another key point first thing to remember most compelling evidence must be remembered point often overlooked to point out on the positive / negative side with this in mind notably, including, like, namely, chiefly, truly, indeed, certainly, surely, markedly, especially, specifically, expressively, surprisingly, frequently, significantly, such as, in fact in general in particular in detail for example for instance to demonstrate to emphasize to repeat to clarify to explain to enumerate |
as can be seen generally speaking in the final analysis all things considered as shown above in the long run given these points as has been noted in a word for the most part after all in fact in summary in conclusion in short in brief in essence to summarize on balance altogether overall ordinarily usually by and large to sum up on the whole in any event in either case all in all |
Below is a list of blogs about History, as suggested by the participants of an online PD I am enrolled in for the IB History IA. One activity was to share our favourite History blogs.
1. http://coldwarhistorian.com/
This blog is written by Nick Blackbourn. The website blog contains information for people specifically interested in the cold War. It is particularly useful as Blackbourn offers information on books and movies related to the topic which he reviews regularly. There is a newsletter which students can subscribe too and there is information of academic links that students can use. Blackbourn also comments regularly on latest developments within the history of the Cold War. Continue reading “History Blogs”
