2009 May - Learn-gasm

Twitter.edu: 100 Excellent, Educational Twitter Feeds

May 12th, 2009

Twitter offers a real-world education, right at your fingertips. It is a wonderful tool for collecting information, much of it educational. You can find educators, librarians, museums, and more on Twitter. Read on, and you’ll find 100 of the most educational feeds on Twitter.

Educators

Here are Twitter’s professors, teachers, and other educators.

@therefore: Read @therefore’s tweets to learn about emergent communications and new media.
@mweller: @martinweller is an Open University professor.
@drkent: Check out @drkent to learn about classical composition.
@ProfCarol: Carol Dickson-Carr is a part time economics professor.
@levarburton: LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow is an actor, director, and educator.
@lessig: @lessig offers a look into the posts of a Canadian law professor.
@hermida: You can learn about integrated journalism and new narrative styles from Alfred Hermida.
@vargasl: Learn about marketing communications from Lauren Vargas.
@coolcatteacher: Vicki Davis is a classroom pioneer.
@jonbecker: Jonathan Becker discusses technology and educational leadership.
@hmason: Hilary Mason can teach you about computer science and new media.
@BarbaraNixon: From @BarbaraNixon, you’ll learn about public relations.
@tp_da: Thomas Pliel is a public relations educator at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.
@paulawhite: Paula White tweets about gifted resources, Apple, STAR, and more.
@Justale: Alessandra Tussi twitters about teleworking, marketing, and productivity.
@metromediaqueen: Tricia Thomas’ Twitter feed is all about Photoshop, arts, graphic design, and video production.
@patrickstrother: You’ll learn about advertising and public relations from Patrick Strother.
@paulbradshaw: Paul Bradshaw tweets about web design and online journalism.
@courosa: Alex Couros teaches educational technology at University of Regina.
@stevekatz: Check out Steve Katz to learn about educational technology.
@elemitrt: Tina Coffey discusses resources for instructional technology.
@berniedodge: Bernie Dodge offers information about educational technology.
@jmilles: James Milles is a professor of law at SUNY University at Buffalo Law School.
@doctorious: From Matthew Gilbert, you’ll learn about English, IT, and business communication.
@billgx: Check out Bill Genereux to learn about digital media and computers.
@jayrosen_nyu: Jay Rosen is a journalism educator at NYU.
@lauranicosia: Laura Nicoia’ is the Director of English Education at Montclair State University.

Libraries & Librarians

These Twitter streams represent librarians and important libraries.

@librarycongress: Find out what’s going on at the Library of Congress from @librarycongress.
@jessamyn: Jessamyn West is a rural librarian geek.
@yalsa: From @yalsa, you’ll learn what’s happening with the Young Adult Library Services Association.
@pfanderson: P.F. Anderson is an emerging technologies librarian.
@Librarian: Check out @Librarian to look at libraries in a different way.
@sljournal: The School Library Journal will tell you about news and book reviews for children’s and young adult reading material.
@heyjudeonline: Check out Judy O’Connell to learn about library and information services.
@glambert: Greg Lambert is a law librarian in Houston.
@LibraryJournal: @LibraryJournal offers library news, book reviews, and more.
@LJBookReview: From @LJBookReview, you’ll find book news and book reviews from Library Journal.
@kenleyneufield: You can learn about the social web from this community college librarian.

News

You can learn a lot from current events-stay on top of everything with these Twitter feeds.

@BreakingNewsOn: Follow BNO News on Twitter, and you’ll learn about news as soon as it happens.
@educationweek: Follow @educationweek to get American education news.
@cnnbrk: By following @cnnbrk, you’ll get the latest in breaking news.
@CNETNews: Check out CNETNews for a steady stream of tech updates.
@giraffes: @giraffes offers updates on anything and everything to do with giraffes.
@nprnews: On @nprnews, you’ll find the top news stories from NPR.
@weather: Check out @weather to get the latest weather news.
@CDCemergency: Learn about emergency preparedness from @CDCemergency.
@SkyNews: Find breaking global news out of London from @SkyNews.
@EcoInteractive: The Eco Preservation Society will help you learn about wildlife conservation and reforestation.
@BBCeducation: On @BBCeducation, you’ll get details about news and education in the UK.
@space: You’ll find space and science news from @space.
@EducationInfo: Education Info offers what’s new in the education and job sectors.
@bbcbreaking: BBC Breaking news offers the latest developments from the UK.
@edu_tweets: @edu_tweets finds and posts interesting educational links.
@nytimes: Get loads of the latest news from @nytimes.
@whonews: You can learn about new developments from the World Health Organization from WHO News.
@science: Follow @science to get the latest in science news.
@foxnews: On Fox News, you’ll get a direct line to the latest happenings around the world.
@EarthquakeNews: This Twitter feed from the USGS Earthquake Center will keep you up to date on earthquake happenings around the world.
@googlenews: You can find breaking news stories and updates from Google news on @googlenews.

Museums & Facilities

Museums are great educational sources, even when they are on Twitter.

@Smithsonian: The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum complex.
@lifeandscience: The Museum Life+Science encourages followers to be curious and ask questions about the world.
@NASA: Check out @NASA to get news from NASA.
@StarEcoStation: The STAR EcoStation is an award winning non-profit environmental education and exotic wildlife rescue center.
@mysticseaport: Mystic Seaport is the nation’s leading maritime museum.
@jodrellbank: Jodrell Bank is home of the world’s third-largest steerable radio telescope and the MERLIN National Facility.
@sciencemuseum: The Science Museum brings science to life and life to science.
@DesignMuseum: If you’re into contemporary design, be sure to check out @DesignMuseum.
@philamuseum: The Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the largest art museums in the United States.
@whitneymuseum: The Whitney Museum has one of the world’s foremost collections of contemporary American art.
@asianartmuseum: The Asian Art Museum is the largest museum in the western world devoted to Asian art.
@TheMuseum: The Childrens Museum of Ontario shares fun facts and imagination tweets.
@BigCatRescue: Through @BigCatRescue, you can learn about ending the breeding, trade, use, and abuse of big cats.
@V_and_A: This museum in London is one of the world’s greatest museums of art and design.
@houstonzoo: Find out what’s happening at the Houston Zoo from @houstonzoo.
@mediamuseum: The National Media Museum is devoted to film, photography, TV, radio, and the web.
@Exploratorium: The Exploratorium museum will fulfill your curiosity.
@TheWomensMuseum: The Women’s Museum offers history of heroines and stories from 1500 to present day.
@cincyartmuseum: The Cincinatti Art Museum has a huge and diverse collection of art.
@brooklynmuseum: The Brooklyn Museum is one of the oldest and largest museums in the country.
@hmns: The Houston Museum of Natural Science offers tweets that focus on science news and more.
@henryartgallery: The Henry Art Gallery is Seattle’s oldest art museum with the newest ideas.
@cmhouston: The Children’s Museum of Houston is a Playground for Your Mind.

Learning Resources

Follow these Twitter users to learn about medicine, marketing, and more.

@AllergyNotes: Ves Dimov, MD offers information about allergies on this Twitter feed.
@BJMendelson: Brandon Mendelson shares information about cancer.
@DrJennifer: Dr. Jennifer Howard is a licensed psychotherapist.
@dannynic: Read Danny Nicholson’s tweets to learn about Whiteboard.
@SwampSchool: Marc Seelinger shares information about wetlands, environment, real estate, and green issues.
@dianadell: Diana Dell shares learning games and more on her Twitter feed.
@GrammarBlog: Learn about grammar with a dash of humor from @GrammarBlog.
@designmeme: Check out @designmeme to learn about media studies.
@chrisbrogan: Follow Chris Brogan to learn about social media, new marketing, and education.
@SlideMagnet: From @SlideMagnet, you can learn about public speaking and presentation.
@BernardHarris: Dr. Bernard Harris is a former astronaut working to change US education.
@eduguru: @eduguru will teach you about web development and marketing for education.
@TEDTalks: @TEDTalks shares ideas worth spreading.
pbsteachers: You can find grade school learning and teaching resources from @pbsteachers.
@_enlightenment: Enlightenment Media is an online degree enlightenment education blog.
@LearnHub: @LearnHub shares lots of great links for education.
@MarketingProfs: Read Ann Hadley’s Twitter feed to get updated about marketing education.
@GrammarGirl: Mignon Fogarty wrote a NYT bestseller about grammar.
@donorschoose: Through Donors Choose, you can help provide public school funding.

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100 Incredibly Inspiring Blog Posts for Educators

May 11th, 2009

Blogs offer an excellent way for communities to come together over a common interest despite physical location. Educators can take advantage of this shared pool of knowledge to find inspiration, enhance their teaching, and help students learn more. The following blog posts come from a variety of bloggers sharing their passion and insight.

On Teaching

These posts take a look at what makes a good teacher and will inspire you to appreciate what you do or maybe even improve your style as an educator.

What Makes a Good Teacher. This post from The Reading Workshop includes six important elements of effective teachers.
Top 5 Character Traits of Great Teachers. This list is actually a compilation from a reader survey and includes many great traits of quality teachers.
"Steal". This teacher considers use of the word "steal" when discussing teaching ideas and urges teachers to embrace collaboration as a means to better teaching.
Reminders to teachers: Don’t get sick. This post highlights what can happen with a poor-quality substitute teacher and offers suggestions for the next time you must be absent.
Are you trained or educated?. This thought-provoking post asks you to consider whether you are trained or educated as an educator.
Short Story: On Mercy Killing in the First Grade (or, how I stopped worrying and learned to appreciate punch lines). Read how this educator learned an important life lesson in the first grade.
Training. This post compares how teachers-in-training are taught to the education of students and wonders at the differing standards held for each.
Do Leaders Wear Jeans? Does What You Wear Show Who You Are?. This article offers a great approach to fitting in fashion-wise–even in jeans.
On being a passionate beginner. Learn why it is important to welcome failure and embrace the newness of situations to become a better teacher.
5 Altruistic Values of Teaching. This post offers a great reminder of why many educators entered into the field of teaching.

Working with Students

Learning about how students learn, perceive, and grow and discovering how you can help students succeed are the focus of these blogs.

Paul Potts, Susan Boyle, and the problem of undiscovered talent in schools. This brief post urges educators to help recognized untapped potential in students.
How Much is a Field Trip Worth?. Examine the educational value of taking learning–and students–out of the classroom.
Home Ec Returns. Learn what Michael Mazenko says about the importance of teaching practical skills to high school students in this post.
Tutoring is like a GPS. This thoughtful post explores how teachers and tutors can work best to help students truly learn.
Why A Financial Education Should Not Be Postponed. Directed more specifically at parents, but an important reminder for educators as well, this post shares why children should learn about finances from an early age.
How DO We Learn Math?. This post explores the ways in which students learn math and how to incorporate these styles into effective learning.
The Library of Congress Pushes Primary Sources. Find out about this initiative at the Library of Congress and why teachers should support primary sources for students.
Ways of the Teacher-Feminist: Text, schema, and stereotypes, oh my!. This post looks at why it is important to teach diversity in the classroom.
When Parents do the Homework. This blog post offers a gentle reminder that the best way to get a student to do their own homework is by assigning child-appropriate tasks.
Knowledge is the Key. This teacher looks at the connection between knowledge and learning and shares some reading material that helped shape his approach as a teacher.
What do General Education Teachers Need To Know about Special Education. Learn about the importance of IEPs and how you can better serve your students by understanding what is written in them.
52 Teachers, 52 Lessons: Week 14. See what this teacher has to say about picking your battles in the classroom in this blog post that is part of an ongoing series intended to offer helpful information for teachers.

Ideas, Tips, and Resources for the Classroom

Find great suggestions and resources you can use in the classroom with these posts.

The Best Places To Find Theatrical Movies On Science, Math, & History. Everyone loves movies, so learn how you can incorporate movies in your science, math, and history classes here.
Expressive Social Studies. Find a handful of methods for bringing history and social studies lessons to life.
Writing Tip #3: Pictures aren’t Just for Babies. Use this tip to encourage students to write more descriptively.
Essential Gardening Books for Kids. This list not only names some great gardening books to use in school, each is accompanied by an age level and what is special about the book.
More Classroom Ideas for Old Fashioned Index Cards. Get some creative and inexpensive ideas for using index cards in the classroom.
Serial Success: 6 Strategies for School. These six tips offer suggestions for making the most of the students’ time in class. These tips are geared toward older students.
Teaching Students to Ask the Right Kinds of Questions. Learn ways to encourage students to ask questions and ask well-thought out questions at that.
Finding Their Voices. This blogger attempts to define the tricky term of "voice" in a way that may help you share that knowledge with your students.
Look to Learn Launched. Discover this new resource that strives to help teachers promote media-rich learning opportunities in the classroom.
Teaching Antigone. This teacher shares an effective way to teaching Antigone to high school sophomores.
Reflections on Student Blogging. Get great tips and suggestions from this teacher on how to start blogging with your middle and high school students.
Educational Videos. This post introduces the PBS library of American History in Videos as well as tips on integrating videos in your lessons.

The Economy and Education

The recent economic downturn has affected education in many ways. Read these posts to see what others are saying about education and the economy.

Will There Be "Urban" Poverty in the Future? From the Inner-City to the Doughnut. This post takes a look at the connection between education, funding, and the spread of poverty out of inner cities.
The Impact of Market Norms on Education…. Bill Ferriter shares his thoughts on an educational system that has moved from one based on social norms to one based on market norms.
The Need for Breakfast Clubs. This call for a Canadian breakfast program emphasizes the need for a healthy breakfast each day to ensure the best start for students.
Part 1: What is happening with teaching jobs?. This is the first in a five-part series examining teaching jobs in America and what is happening to help prevent teacher layoffs.
A Dozen Ways to Save Dough. These twelve tips offer suggestions for administrators to consider when feeling the financial pinch.
The Union President’s Dilemma. Take a look at how the current financial crisis is impacting school districts and some of the tough choices that are being forced on educators.
Poverty and Education - The Challenge of Improving Schools. This post explores the issue of educating students faced with the challenges of living in poverty.
Education is harder to steal (and therefore also harder to tax) than physical wealth. Here’s one man’s perspective on why spending on education is a smart move.
Work-Study Will Get a Boost. Referencing a recent article in the New York Times, this post illustrates the importance of work-study programs for students.
Education Publisher’s Perspectives on the Economic Downturn - Panel on Education Technology. Read this post that encapsulates a panel Q&A of four learning publishers’ perspectives on the economy and education technology.

Educational Issues and the Future of Education

Many feel that the educational system is in need of reform. Others may not see that need so much, but recognize changes that are coming. Find out what people are saying about the current and future issues central to education.

Let’s just put them all in jail 24/7. This post offers a thoughtful counter-position to Arne Duncan’s statements that schools should be open 6 days a week for 11 or 12 months of the year.
Newton lectured to empty rooms. Not only does this post warn against the dangers of boring lectures, it also theorizes on why some lecturers prefer this manner of teaching.
International Tests of Mystery. Nancy Flanagan writes an intelligent post examining the differences behind various tests and what they measure and argues for investing in education of all students, regardless of their scores.
Jacks of All Topics, Masters of None. Based on a recent study that shows high school students who study a topic deeply perform better than those who do not, this post explores the downfalls of teaching to the test.
Curricula: a short essay about education. This post advocates restructuring education so that it is a more natural form of learning and teaching–with better results and less work to make it happen.
The Retention Myth. This post reflects on current thinking about retaining science and math teachers.
John Rawls is Twisting in His Grave. Read about the voucher system in connection with providing appropriate education for children with disabilities who cannot afford private education here.
Education Reform and the Freedom to Mod. Andy Carvin explores what education reform looks like to many teachers and parents.
Innovation And It’s Discontents. This post provides links to several other posts discussing innovation, teacher satisfaction, private capital in education reform, and more.
Schools Taking a Bite Out of Lunch Time. Find out why some schools are changing the way lunch time looks at the elementary level.

Classroom Management

Every teacher knows that behavioral issues can disrupt class. Read these posts to learn effective classroom management techniques to enhance what you already know.

Catch them Doing the Right Thing. This veteran teacher explains why this method of positive reinforcement works well to encourage effective learning and better classroom behavior.
Where Does Hard Work Come From?. Mr. McGuire ponders from where student motivation derives and opens the comments up to hear from readers.
My classroom management plan on Scribd. Check out the suggestions shared by this elementary teacher with her revised classroom management plan.
Losing It (In the Classroom). This post focuses on managing teacher anger in the classroom.
A Time for Timeout?. Specifically for those teaching younger students, this post explores time-outs and effective use of them.
Do It Now or Else. This post shows just why spending extra time for students with behavior problems is necessary.
America’s Next Top Student. This teacher talks about appropriate dress for students.
Lost My Cool. This teacher shares her frustration and how both she and her classroom came through the incident successfully.
Self Esteem: Part 1. Exploring the connection between low self-esteem and behavior issues, this post proposes that relying on teachers to raise self-esteem through feel-good tactics is not an effective method of dealing with these situations.
Que? - A Funny Experience I Had as a First-Year. This story will not only give you a chuckle, but may help put your classroom difficulties in perspective.

Using Technology

Technology is the topic among these blog posts–from blogging to Internet safety to making the most of your technology funds.

Chatting Up Internet Safety. This teacher explains how she used Chatzy with a 7th grade class to work on Internet safety and technology.
Keeping students cybersafe!. This blog post offers suggestions on how you can protect your students while enjoying blogs in the classroom.
Responsible blogging. Based on a collaborative effort between a teacher and his 10th grade students, this is the list of rules they developed for safe blogging.
Managing Comments and Posts On Student Blogs Using Google Reader. Sue Waters provides an easy way to keep up with student posts and includes a helpful tutorial on how to set it up with Google Reader.
Around the World with 80 Schools. Read this post for an inspirational way to use Skype in the classroom to connect your students with others around the world.
TECH & TE(A)CH. Explore how technology has become an important element in education and think about ways in which it can best be used.
Re-Visioning the Writing Classroom. This teacher used a computer lab opportunity to improve writing skills in a 5th grade class.
Project This! Technology Purchasing Priorities. Learn what pieces of technology should be purchased prior to others so that you can build your resources efficiently.
50 Awesome Semantic Apps for Educators. Educators who are looking for ways to take advantage of the semantic web will appreciate these tools to help get the job done.
The future of e-learning is social learning. Find out what Jane Hart has to share about e-learning and social learning.
Taking It Global with TIGed. This program allows students to connect globally with others. Learn how you can incorporate the same technology and learning in your classroom.
Your Digital Dossier. Learn about digital portfolios and why they matter to you as an educator.
Copyright for Educators. This blog post includes an hour-long presentation on copyright issues specifically for teachers.

Preparing Students for Life after High School

Whether you are a high school teacher or counselor, if you are in a position to help students make the transition to life after high school, then you should check out these posts.

who says you have to go to college?. Advocating preparing students for life and successful careers doesn’t have to depend on college, this blogger explores the possibility of students who are not college material still succeeding.
Don’t Go to College. This article proposes an alternative method for those who choose not to go to college to showcase their skills and talents without the negative connotation of not having a degree.
Tech Education Opens Career Doors for Working Adults. This post describes how many adults can opt for tech education rather than college to succeed in having a promising career.
Book Review: 411 SAT Prep Series. Find out why this book is recommended as a great SAT prep for high school students.
100 Terrific Tools and Resources to Find Your Perfect College. This blog post offers tons of resources for students looking for a college, including how to select, financial aid, and more.
Rejection tweeting. Take a glimpse at some students Tweets in reference to their college application rejections.
Why Earn an MBA? An MBA degree pays off!. If you have students who are the business school type, share this blog post with them when considering their future.
23 Warning Signs of Scholarship Scams. Scholarships offer promise to those who may not be able to afford college, but help ensure your students are applying for legitimate scholarships with the help of this article.
Stanley Tate says; “Don’t Raise Tuition. Raise Hell!”. Think about the perspective presented here that institutes of higher learning are taking advantage of students when they raise tuition.
SCAMPER Your Way to Success. Learn this technique to help students prepare for college life.
How to Get off the College Wait List. This article offers suggestions to help students get off the wait list and accepted into a college of their choice.

Links to Resources

The following blog posts provide lists and links that offer plenty of additional resources on everything from online lectures to tools for using Twitter.

100 Free Online Lectures that Will Make You a Better Teacher. This blog post shares online lectures that can inspire you as a teacher.
50 Online Reference Sites for Teachers. This listing is a great resource for teachers looking for quality online resources for students and educators.
122 For You: Cool Cat Teacher’s Favorite Apps, Software, and Sites. In order to give back to a community that has taught this teacher so much, she has compiled a list of all the apps, software, and sites that she finds helpful both professionally and personally.
Friday Five - Finding Ada (Role Models of Women in Tech). Get several sites that present women as role models in the field of technology from this blog post.
Get Smart: Receive Daily Learning Inspiration. This blog post tells you how to sign up to receive daily updates with information about learning resources, books, and more.
100 Tips, Apps, and Resources for Teachers on Twitter. Whether you are just starting out or are an experienced Twitter user, these resources will offer something for you.
Top 100 Tools for the Twittering Teacher. Get 100 great tools to enhance your Twitter experience at school.
Digital Image Resources on the Deep Web. This blog post offers tons of links to resources offering quality digital images.
100+ Open Courseware Resources for Teachers. Teachers using open courseware material to enhance their personal knowledge or to use in the classroom will find useful information here.
Student Tools - Let them fly!. This teacher has compiled a good list of web 2.0 tools students can use in the classroom to enhance their learning.

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50 Terrific Open Courseware Classes for Innovative Educators

May 11th, 2009

By Caitlin Smith

Open courseware classes offer a great opportunity for educators to expand their knowledge base while working at their own pace–and without spending any money. The following classes provide an opportunity for you to learn creative approaches to teaching various disciplines, reach special populations among students, bring technology in the classroom, and strengthen your abilities as an administrator or teacher.

Creative Approaches to Teaching Core Curriculum

These classes let teachers go back to school in order to bring fun ways of teaching the standards. From chemistry in the kitchen to using visualization to teach math, these classes will help you learn new ways to present old material.

Kitchen Chemistry. Practice cooking experiments while learning basic chemistry principles that you can share with your students in this course. [MIT]
Advanced Kitchen Chemistry. A follow-up to Kitchen Chemistry, this class examines topics such as cheese making, joys of tofu, and the science of spice. [MIT]
Lego Robotics. Design, build, and program functioning robots using Lego robotics, then take your knowledge back to share with your students. [MIT]
Introduction to Robotics. Find out what the class at MIT built, then learn to design and build your own robotic system in this class. [MIT]
Toy Product Design. Learn to design and prototype toys in the mechanical engineering class. Modify what you learn to create hands-on projects in your classroom. [MIT]
How to Make (Almost) Anything. Using several types of CAD/CAM machines, learn how to make almost anything in this design class. [MIT]
Practical Electronics. Learn to create practical electronic devices in this class that teaches how to create such items as remote controls, timers and clocks, and light or sound activated devices. [MIT]
Expository Writing - Food for Thought: Writing and Reading about Food and Culture. Studying the impact of food on culture in this class, then share your knowledge with your English or social studies classes. [MIT]
Concept-Centered Teaching. Find new ways to engage your science students by helping students to better understand key concepts and eliminate student misconceptions of science education when you take this class. [MIT]
Using visualisation in maths teaching. Learn the basics of visualization, how it affects learning in mathematics, and strategies to implement visualization in the classroom. [The Open University]

Incorporating the Arts

Take these art classes that will allow you to bring something special and creative to your classroom.

Furniture Making. Study the history of furniture making, then learn how to design and build a functional piece of furniture of your own creation. Take what you learn back to your classes for a great hands-on project. [MIT]
Introduction to Sculpture. Using a variety of mediums, you will learn about sculpture while you create a piece of your own. Share this knowledge with students to expand your history, social studies, or English classes. [MIT]
Creating musical sound. This class makes a scientific exploration of the many ways sound is made on musical instruments. Incorporate what you learn in science, history, and social studies. [The Open University]
Documentary Photography and Photo Journalism: Still Images of A World In Motion. Gain an introduction to documentary photographers and photojournalists while also creating your own photo documentary in this class. This is great for sharing with students who may be working on family history or community projects. [MIT]
Picturing the family. A good class to help learn about history and culture, this course provides an in depth analysis of historical family photos including technical details as well as several cultural aspects captured in the photos. [The Open University]
Introduction to Video. Learn about video recording and editing and about telling a story through videography in this course. [MIT]
Producing Films for Social Change. Here you will learn how to create a film promoting positive social change and also gain production and editorial skills in the class. [Tufts University]
Using film music in the classroom. Use familiar film music as a tool to teach various aspects of music to students or to open up discussion on art and culture. [The Open University]

Reaching Special Populations

From early childhood to bilingual students to those in special education, learn how to connect with students in a new way.

Infant and Early Childhood Cognition. Learn how infants and young children’s minds perceive the world while also learning about research within this field. [MIT]
Understanding dyslexia. Learn about dyslexia as well as treatment and management techniques in this course. [The Open University]
Language as a medium for teaching and learning. This course examines the affect languages have on the second-language learner in the classroom. [The Open University]
The Linguistic Study of Bilingualism. Learn about the roots of bilingualism, various implications of bilingualism, and educational repercussions of bilingualism in this class. [MIT]
What children’s perspectives tell us about inclusion. Meet children learning in inclusion classrooms and learn their perspectives on such issues as play and learning, gender, and mixed-abilities within the classroom. [The Open University]
Inclusive education: knowing what we mean. This course explores the definition of inclusion, the various models, and several inclusion topics–including determining which students should be involved in inclusion and the potential implications of inclusion. [The Open University]
Autism Theory and Technology. Learn about autism, working with autistic students, and current technology that works to improve opportunities for autistic students in this course. [MIT]
Accessibility and eLearning. Study accessibility, assistive technology, and how it enhances the educational experience of student with disabilities. [The Open University]

Technology in the Classroom

These classes will help you bring technology into your classroom to enhance your students’ learning experience.

Art and Technology. Find out about the relationship between art and technology both throughout history and as it presents itself today. [Capilano University]
Blogs, Wikis, New Media for Learning. Learn the basics for many different web 2.0 technologies that you can implement in your classroom such as blogging and using wikis. [Utah State University]
Understanding Online Interaction. Explore how people communicate online as well as learn how to design environments on the web that are conducive to learning. This is a great course for teachers who enjoy incorporating blogs or web sites in their classes. [Utah State University]
Feeling and Imagination in Art, Science, and Technology. Study philosophy, psychology, and literature to learn how emotion and imagination play into the creative process of science and technology. [MIT]
Writing and Experience: Culture Shock! Writing, Editing, and Publishing in Cyberspace. Practice writing for an online audience through an exploration of American pop culture. This is another great class for teachers who blog. [MIT]

Effective Administration

Take these courses to help strengthen your abilities as an administrator. Both your students and teachers are sure to benefit from your new knowledge.

Economics of Education. This course studies the implications of various educational issues on economics and explores such issues as the effectiveness of mid-career training for teachers and the implications of college financial aid. [MIT]
School business manager: developing the role. This British course explores the reasons that managing the school as a business has become necessary as well as effective ways do so. Much of this class can also apply to American school systems. [The Open University]
Technological Tools for School Reform. By looking at progressive charter schools, examine a case study of school reform using technology as the basis of change, look at the state of school reform, and think about ways to positively shape school reform. [MIT]
School governors: planning for improvement. This course offers suggestions for ways to plan for improvement in your school while taking into consideration the needs of all those involved from teachers to students and beyond. [The Open University]
School governors: organisation and practice. This model from the UK offers an overview and roles of each player in the school governance body and provides tips on effectively using each to the best of their ability. American teachers don’t have to worry about the British content as much of the information carries over. [The Open University]
Communicating Across Cultures. As globalization has become a reality, learn its effects on society and find out how you can become more culturally sensitive to those around you, including students and teachers at your schools. [MIT]

The Art of Teaching

Teaching is an art form in itself, so take these classes to continue learning and shaping the talent you already share with your students.

The Nature of Constructionist Learning. Learn about education and learning within a constructionist framework in this course. [MIT]
Gender Issues in Academics and Academia. Gender differences in learning and how it impacts the classroom experience is the focus of this class, as well as how gender issues affect those in academia. [MIT]
Thinking about how I work with other professionals. This course allows self-exploration as you examine the ways you work with other teachers and administrators. It also allows for self-reflection on how to improve your working relationships while maintaining your values and beliefs. [The Open University]
Introduction to Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Science. This course takes the student through the experience of teaching and offers hands-on opportunities to learn about both teaching and the students’ learning in the classroom. This may be a good refresher course for teachers who have been out of school for a while. [MIT]
Working with young people: roles and responsibilities. Learn about the different roles adults play in the life of young people, discover the role you play as a teacher, and learn to develop the role model you wish to be for your students. [The Open University]
Teaching for good behaviour. This course explores the ways you can set up your lessons to engage students while minimizing problem behavior. Learn to adjust lesson format, delivery, and content for great results. [The Open University]
Evaluating school classroom discussion. Discussion is an important part of the classroom experience. Find out how to successfully implement discussion in your classroom to better facilitate the learning process for your students. [The Open University]
Enhancing pupil learning on museum visits. It’s no big news that students learn in different ways. This class helps you embrace these differing learning styles while on museum field trips. [The Open University]
Teach Global. Learn about the Teach Global program in this course where you can also find resources about the program and learn about other similar courses. [The Open University]
Introducing observational approaches in research with children and young people. Observation and research are the focus of this class where you will learn about observation as a research tool, the differences between quantitative and qualitative research, and learn the difference between describing and explaining in a research study. [The Open University]
Exploring K-12 Classroom Teaching. This course takes a look at methods of teaching student-centered classrooms while examining various student needs within those classrooms. [MIT]
How to Learn (Almost) Anything. This class looks at learning as a process through hands-on activities. You will participate in a variety of learning situations as a part of the class. [MIT]
The Creative Spark. This course teaches about the creative process–what it is, how it’s valued, and how it grows. Students will create journal writings and study artists of various media to explore creativity. [MIT]

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100 Best iPhone Apps for Serious Self-Learners

May 4th, 2009

Those who constantly strive to learn more from the world around them, who can’t pass up an opportunity to pour over a book or dictionary, or who take classes just to learn a bit more are a special breed. For those with an iPhone, the chances for learning just got a lot greater. No matter if you love literature, science, nature, arts, foreign languages and travel, medicine, or Christian studies, there are apps that will enhance your ability to expand your knowledge base.

Literature

While the number of books and study guides available for your iPhone are just too numerous to list, the following apps offer fun and educational opportunities for those who love literature and want to learn more.

Daily Haiku. Explore traditional Japanese haiku with a new one delivered every day to your iPhone.
Stanza. This e-reader allows you to download free or paid books from a variety of places and has plenty of options such as varying fonts, sizes, bookmark, definitions, screen brightness, and more.
Narrator. If you like hearing books while reading along or if you have children who enjoy looking at picture books, then this multimedia storytelling app will be a great addition to your library.
Aristotle’s complete works (with search). Study the teachings of one of the most respected thinkers of all times with this app that allows for searching within the texts.
Margins (book notes). If you like to take notes in the margins of your books, then try this app that keeps all your margin notes together on your iPhone.
Book Quiz. Get quizzes with ten multiple-choice questions to test your knowledge of literature.
The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Avid readers and literature students will benefit from this comprehensive text that provides insight to almost 1,200 troublesome literary terms.
Zen Proverbs. Shake or tap your iPhone to get a new Zen proverb upon which to meditate each time.
World Proverbs. Get almost 4000 proverbs from cultures around the globe that you can search, shake to find a random proverb, or swipe to go to the next one.
Confucius. Find inspiration in this collection of meaningful sayings from Confucius.

Arts

The following apps range from learning about famous paintings by the masters to creating art through a variety of media.

Art. Learn all about great artists and their works with this factbook app that also lets you quiz yourself to see how much you are learning.
Art Gallery Premium. With over 7,500 works of art in their database, you can bring up your favorite famous work of art on your iPhone or browse to learn about artists you might not know.
Art Envi Deluxe. Like having a giant museum in your phone, this app contains works by famous artists as well as specialized categories such as Japanese art.
Kaleido. While not high on boosting knowledge, any art lover will appreciate taking photos and creating kaleidoscope effects with them.
Photo Lab Daily. This free version allow you to take a photo with your iPhone and once a day you can use the Photo Lab tools to enhance your photos. There is a version available for a fee if you want to do more than one a day.
MyPaint Free. Finger paint on a blank canvas or use one of your photos from your photo roll to find your artistic talent with this app.
Pencil Pusher. This app allows you to draw as if with a pencil. Write, erase, choose from a variety of backgrounds, choose colors, and more.
Bonsai. Learn the traditional art of bonsai care with this app that provides you the opportunity to adjust water, trim the tree, and monitor its overall health.

Foreign Languages

Whether you are planning to travel or just love learning languages, these apps will help you learn to speak whatever language your heart desires.

Jourist Visual PhraseBook English. Use this visual aid with 20 different languages to help you show the person what you mean. It also include the written phrase in both English and your target language.
iTranslate Ultimate. Translate words between English, Spanish, German, French, and Italian, then have the words repeated back to you in the target language with this app.
Translator with Voice. Get translations in 34 different languages with voice support on most of them.
DragonDian. Use this dictionary to draw Chinese characters to quickly and easily find an English translation.
WordPower Lite - Italian. This free app gives you one Italian word a day to practice and master by listening to audio, recording and playing back your own voice, and using flashcards.
iSpeak Spanish. Translate between Spanish and English with this app that also allows you to hear words spoken in high quality English and Spanish voices.
Gengo Flashcards - French. This app uses visual cues and the voices of native French speakers with flashcards to help you learn French. Take a picture of any object, then add the French and English words to it, and you have created your own flashcard to add to the stack.
Lonely Planet Japanese Phrasebook. Whether traveling or learning Japanese, use this app to get over 600 written and spoken Japanese phrases.
Byki German. Learn German in no time with this app that includes native speakers, quizzes, and a phrasebook.
WordPower - Thai. Listen to 2000 Thai words for proper pronunciation and see the words and phrases in three versions–original Thai, Romanized, and English.

Travel

Some say the best way to learn about the world around you is through travel. If you abide by this philosophy, then check out these apps.

The World Factbook ‘09. Learn all you want to know about over 250 countries and territories around the world with this app.
USA Factbook and Quiz. Not only can you learn plenty of facts about the US, you can also get information by state, maps (highway and topographical), flags, major cities, and more.
Wine Enthusiast Guide. No matter where you are in the world, learn about wine, get expert reviews, and much more with this app that adds almost 1,000 new reviews each month and will help you sip just the right wine during your travels.
plan.pack.go - your packing companion. Whether you are planning a business trip or a weekend vacation, this app will help you plan, organize, and pack so that you don’t forget to take care of anything–including bringing gifts, unplugging appliances, and more.
Where To? - GPS points of interest. Use this app in conjunction with your current location ability in the iPhone to find restaurants, shopping, entertainment, transportation, and more.
Travelocity TravelTools. Get flight information, hotel locators (with reviews and photos), and personalized itinerary information with this free app.
Travel. Never carry a bulky travel guide again with this app that includes travel guides for 227 country destinations with more being added with future updates.
Urbanspoon. If you are unsure about where to go or just can’t decide, use this app to narrow your restaurant choices based on criteria such as price or type of food, shake your phone, and get recommendations based on your location in North America, London, Sydney, and Melbourne.
Tipulator - The Fun Tip Calculator. Enter the total of your bill and the percentage you wish to tip easily find out how much tip to leave. Have a whole group? It will also break down the total due depending on how many people you indicate are in your party.
Travel Help!. Use this app to get emergency numbers (like 911 in the US), contact information for your home embassy, plus any other custom information you wish to add for over 260 countries.

Science

Chemistry, biology, and physics are represented in the apps below as well as quizzes and science facts of the day.

iAmino. Easily learn about the 21 proteinogenic amino acids with this program that promises a fun method of learning.
AA+ Chemistry Study Cards (Exambusters). Get an entire chemistry course with this one app that can help prepare you for an exam or work as a supplement to a course you are already taking.
Chemistry Formulas. This app provides an instant library of formulae that also allows you to add your own descriptions on the entries.
Solutions. Calculate volume, weight, and molarity of chemical solutions as well as have access to two databases of Molecular Weight.
EleMints. Try out this interactive periodic table that allows you to easily learn about all the elements.
AA+ Biology Study Cards (Exambusters). Just like the chemistry version, this app brings you over 450 questions to help build your biology knowledge.
AA+ Physics Study Cards (Exambusters). Here’s the physics version of the app too. This one provides over 600 questions that cover several topics in the field of physics.
Science Fact of the Day. Get a fun science fact each day with this app that offers a great way to easily expand your knowledge of science.
ScienceFacts. This app provides facts from biology, chemistry, and physics to help boost your science knowledge.
Science Quiz. Each of these quizzes provides ten multiple-choice questions on topics including biology, zoology, astronomy, technology, anatomy, and chemistry.

Medicine

Whether you are a medical professional or just want to expand your personal knowledge, these apps are sure to provide plenty of knowledge.

Taber’s Medical Dictionary. Touting 30% more medical terms than other medical dictionaries, this one offers definitions, photos, Patient Care Statements, and more.
Registered Nurse. Any nurse studying for the NCLEX exam will love this app that provides a practice exam that test you in over 20 different subjects.
Normal Lab Values. Medical professionals or anyone interested in learning more about laboratory results will appreciate having normal values readily available.
Medical Drugs. This app provides detailed information on hundreds of pharmaceutical medications.
Diagnosaurus DDx. With over 1,000 diagnoses, anyone can perform differential diagnosis quickly and easily with this app.
MedCards. This app replaces the laminated cards physicians carry around and also allows anyone interested in learning to have instant reference to such things as EKG values, Mental Status Exam guide, Snellen chart, and more.
MedAbbreviations. Get over 13,000 medical abbreviations with definitions, explanations, a search feature, and more.
Skyscape Medical Resources. Find all kinds of medical information such as drug information, evidence-based clinical information, medical calculator, and a med-alert based on a specialty of your choosing.
Human Atlas. Geared for medical professionals, patients, and consumers, get a 3D explanation along with over 150 common medical treatments and conditions.
Medical Exam. Whether you are studying for your medical exam or just want to have a profound knowledge of medicine, this app helps you learn from 14 different categories.

Math

From calculators to math quizzes to flashcards, these math apps will have you learning more than you knew.

MathU RPN Calc. Get this calculator developed by a PhD student at MIT and based on Reverse Polish Notation with over 80 functions available.
Slide Rule. Check out this fun app that simulates a slide rule.
Protractor. Have a protractor with you always in the palm of your hand that can measure anything and works with the camera in your iPhone.
Abacus. This abacus is customizable and allows you to change the number of rows, beads, and more to have a working abacus anywhere you go.
Math Quizzes for All Ages. Recommended from Kindergartners to senior citizens, this app will have you practicing addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, squares, and square roots.
Formul8 - Formulas for Math, Science, & Chemistry. Get the most popular formulae for algebra, calculus, trigonometry, and more.
Mathomatic. More than just a calculator, this math tool will help you solve algebraic equations and even shows the steps to get to the solution.
Algebra Helper 1. With a focus on linear algebra, this tool will help you solve algebraic equations and show you how to do so step-by-step.
AA+ Algebra 2/Trigonometry Study Cards (Exambusters). Get over 500 questions and answers written by teachers and college professors to help test you on your knowledge of advanced algebra and trigonometry.
Geometry Facts Flash Cards. Learn shapes and the formulae commonly used with each using the flashcard interface of this app.

Nature

Nature lovers can learn more about stars, birds, wild animals, herbs, or find campgrounds and use water maps and tide graphs to explore for themselves.

Star Walk - IYA2009 OFFICIAL PRODUCT. Take this app with you for a romantic stargazing or a walk with the family to understand what you see in the sky above you.
Peterson Field Guide to Backyard Birds. Based on the first two digits of your zip code, learn all about the birds in your region, including images, range maps, descriptions, recorded bird songs, and a personal checklist to track your sightings.
iLove Nature. Photographs and sounds recorded outside Taipei, Taiwan make up this app that includes animal identification and wiki links.
Exposure Calc. Nature photographers can take advantage of this app that helps determine the proper exposure settings for any given scene.
Wild Animal Wild Tones. Get 12 professional photographs that are accompanied by high quality sound recordings and information to learn about each of the animals.
Natural Herbal Cures and Remedies. Learn all about herbs and how you can incorporate them into your life as a supplement to natural healing.
iAroma. This app will help you learn all about the healing and restorative properties of aromatherapy with information on 95 essential oils.
CampgroundsNearMe. Use this app to find campgrounds located near you within a 100 mile radius.
US Rivers - Water Map Navigator. If you boat on any major rivers in the US, then this navigation map app is a great find for you. You can also geotag your photos into the maps.
Tide Graph. Coastal dwellers or campers can get tidal information, moon phases, and sunrise and sunset times.

Christian Studies

Immerse yourself in the study of Christianity with these apps that range from full Bibles to Bible verses and quotes to prayers and texts.

Touch Bible LE. Read both King James Version and New English Translation of the Bible with this app that also provides a place to keep notes and functions such as search, bookmark, and the ability to change font sizes.
BibleXpress. Select from ASV, ESV, KJV, LBLA, NASB, NRSV, and TM versions of the Bible with this app.
God’s Word. Manage daily devotionals and read, perform full text search, and bookmark the American Standard Version of the Bible.
The Bible. Get customizable features with this King James Version of the Bible such as the ability to change fonts and colors, easy searching, auto scrolling, highlighting, and more.
KJV Bible Audiobook. Listen to the King James Version of the Bible and choose to read along or read only as well.
Top 100 Bible Verses. Find well-known Bible verses among others less common with this app.
Bible Wisdom. Get quotes from Jesus and Old Testament prophets straight from the Bible.
A collection of Holy Prayers. This app provides several popular and moving Christian prayers.
The Way of the Cross Prayer. Use these prayers and meditations to walk along with Christ during His journey through His sufferings and death.
Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan. Get this classic Christian allegory here complete with a scroll feature to make reading easier.

Reference Materials

The following reference material will appeal to anyone interested in gaining more knowledge. Ranging from dictionaries and thesauri to phrasebooks to quote books to handy facts, the following apps provide a plethora of information.

WordBook English Dictionary & Thesaurus. Get definitions, history of words, pronunciation help, words of the day, crossword solvers, and more with this amazing dictionary app that is fast and easy to use.
Dictionary.com - Dictionary & Thesaurus. Try this free dictionary for help with definitions, synonyms, word of the day, and more.
Roget’s II - New Thesaurus. This app provides the full text in an interactive platform for a complete thesaurus experience that also works along with the American Heritage Dictionary.
Spell Check. Type in a word to see if you spelled it correctly and get suggestions for correct spellings. This app also doubles as a dictionary.
Conversation English. If you are learning English as a second language, try out this app that will help develop listening and speaking skills as well as teach about common idioms and more.
wurdle. Play this word game to pass some extra time and help expand your word knowledge.
Wiki Mobile. Easily access and browse Wikipedia with this app.
iVocabulary. Boost your vocabulary in English, French, Spanish, Italian, or German with this app that even records your history to show how much you are improving.
English Phrasebook (Idioms). No matter if you are learning English or are a native speaker who just loves idioms, this app provides a complete definition as well as quizzes.
15,000 Useful Phrases. Writers, public speakers, and wordsmiths of any kind will love having access to this app that will help you select the perfect phrase for any occasion.
Quote Book. With over 3,000 quotes, you can search and browse to find exactly the quote you want from over 400 different authors.
HandyFact - Important Facts that Matter. This amazing app includes reference material for everything from slang terms to time zones to cocktail recipes to ingredient substitutions to a basic first aid sheet and much more.

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