Most would agree that iOS technology is downright cool. But it is more than cool for a person with a visual impairment--it is accessibility built right in. At first glance, an iOS device, such as an iPhone or iPad, does not appear to be an appropriate tool for the blind. It has only a few physical buttons, and it seems to make sense only for…

A QR (quick-response) code is a two-dimensional scannable code, similar in function to a traditional bar code that one might find on a product at the supermarket. The main difference between the two is that, while a traditional bar code can hold a maximum of only 20 digits, a QR code can hold up to 7,089 characters, so it can contain much more…

MOOCs--massive open online courses--are all the rage these days, with hundreds of thousands of participants signing up and investors plunking down millions to get a piece of the pie. Why is there so much excitement about this new disruptive form of online learning, and how does this model apply to professional learning for teachers? Traditional…

Design thinking is about using design to improve the human experience. It combines collaboration, systems thinking, and a balance of creative and analytical habits. It also fuels what the students want for themselves: making an impact on the real world in real time and having adults take their passions seriously. The process essentially comes down…

The author and his colleague, Deborah Polin, traveled around the United States to get a first-hand look at how teachers are developing successful Web 2.0 activities for their classrooms. With funding from Intel, they interviewed 39 educators in 22 schools throughout the country about how they employed these tools in their classrooms in innovative…

When it comes to technologies like digital games, simulations, and social networking, teachers and students may find themselves at cross purposes. Often, students find that these technologies, so prevalent in their lives outside of school, are unwelcome in their classrooms. Many teachers can tell stories about the disruptive influence of video…

All teachers know them--the students who sit in the back of the room and never make a peep. If prodded, they may reluctantly offer a comment or opinion, but they are so obviously uncomfortable about participating that a teacher may wonder if it is even worth trying to engage them. Are they unprepared or just shy? Do they lack ideas or merely need…

Teachers know that a constructivist approach involving project-based, student-centered activities can result in students taking an active role in their own learning and engaging in thought-provoking challenges. When accomplished with collaborative activities, students develop skills that will serve them well in the future in any group project.…

For the last year the authors have been gathering examples of how perceived "threats of security" are hampering the integration of technology in teaching and learning. They hope that educators will examine both the challenges of increased security demands and ways in which security might enhance, rather than detract from, the use of technology for…

Julia sits down at her kitchen table to review tomorrow's lesson framework and the activities mapped out for her students. She is excited about the new unit on "the changing role of media in shaping public policy" they will be starting. Yet she silently admits to herself being a bit nervous because she is going to try a new teaching strategy with…

This article discusses several ways that Web sites and e-mail motivate students to write. When students know someone other than their teacher will see their writing, it becomes easy to help them with process and mechanics. They take pride in their work, and they make it look good. The author found that students were more receptive to a revision…

Presents the steps needed to host an online collaboration project--from designing it to planning for the future. Describes the following stages essential for project success: preparing; posting project objectives and requirements; instructing and monitoring interactions; publishing the project; and evaluating. Sidebar includes Web sites and…

Plagiarism is an ugly word. Copying someone else's work and attempting to claim credit for one's self is an act that involves a number of ethical failings--theft, laziness, coveting, and lying among others. Many educators blame the Internet for what they perceive as the rise of plagiarism. Although the Internet certainly enables more efficient…