Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/626224
E d Te c h S h o w D a i l y 9 T h u r s d a y, J a n u a r y 1 4 , 2 0 1 6 DEVELOPING HIGHER-ORDER THINKING By Sandra L. Love, Ed.D., Director of Education Insight and Research, Mentoring Minds, former elementary principal and recipient of the National Distinguished Principal Award. Higher-order thinking skills are required of students as they transfer or apply knowledge to newly encountered situa- tions and problems. Students who learn to think critically can make informed decisions, reach reasonable solutions, analyze and evaluate evidence and much more. Because the standards expect that students are prepared to be critical thinkers and problem solvers, educators must plan engaging lessons that empha- size higher-order thinking so that stu- dents naturally and seamlessly apply these skills. A few strategies are suggest- ed for developing these thinking skills: What-If Thinking can lead to deeper thinking. Discuss what if an event hap- pened differently or had never occurred, then that would cause other changes. Allowing students to speculate about what they had previously learned helps them construct logical alternatives. As students research and answer what-if questions, they will choose one thing that would change and explore the resulting consequences that might exist in today's world. Incorporating what-if activities into topics across various content areas creates an awareness needed for innova- tive thinking and future suc- cess. Question Asking is a skill that is often overlooked. Teaching the difference in literal and interpretive ques- tions helps students learn to ask questions that probe deeper. Lead students to see that literal questions are those with answers readily available. The answers are right there, such as in the text, whereas interpretive questions are those they must think about. As students practice designing and asking interpre- tive questions, they will gain the skill and see the value as it relates to their lives. After students know the difference between the two types of questions, ask: "Is it is important to ask interpretive questions. Why?" Numerous and varied activities using read-alouds, video clips, art and quotations associated with the content taught can provide the basis for interpretive and liter- al questions. This activity can jumpstart a search for other strategies that teach students how to develop thoughtful question-asking skills. Reflection can help stu- dents process their learning and develop thinking skills. Use questions that guide students to review and self-assess: What caused dif- ficulty? What was confusing? What do you still not understand? What did you do that helped you develop meaning? Invite students to journal how to apply the learning to their lives. Provide prompts for summarizing: What are two key ideas you learned and why are they important? Use words and pictures to represent what you learned. Visit Mentoring Minds at booth #759. TRANSFORM YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARY WITH MACKIN The transformation of America's school libraries will take many forms, shapes and creative turns, but what is most cer- tain is that change is surely on the way. The goal at Mackin is to be totally proac- tive on behalf of every school librarian and every school library program as they engage and continue the necessary trans- formation of their professional roles and the roles of their school libraries to meet the emerging educational challenges. In response, Mackin has created the Transform Your School Library Movement, or TYSL, a forum where like-minded educators who are excited about the transformation of school libraries can have an arena to work with- in and help to secure the future of school libraries and school librarianship. This new undertaking, spearheaded by Mackin, is truly essential to the future of the school library and the educational process. Thought leaders throughout the nation know that the school library must change and truly transform to provide the level of service that will be required to enhance the future of K-12 education and the student experience. The transformation of your library may be subtle or it may be drastic, but it is a transition that surely will be. The TYSL Movement will not only seek to expand knowledge but encourage conversation and dialog that will inspire creativity. The revolution has begun, and as a result, Mackin has encountered numerous schools and school libraries that have already embraced and executed game-changing directions that serve to benefit the student as well as the teacher. In addition, Mackin will continually seek out the drivers of change and the agents of transformation for you and your school. It may be a simple or complex facelift or a complete redesign and restructuring, but it will seek to organize and present the very best ideas and prac- tices for your consideration on its TYSL movement blog and website. The student of the 21st century requires and often demands 21st century skills. The school library can be this re-energized repository of communication, collabora- tion and technological cre- ativity and should continue to be a wel- coming place, free of stresses or restric- tions for learning. It should be reborn as a magnet for students of all ages. The TYSL Movement will surely mean different things to students, staff and parents, but mostly it must foster change, learning and growth in the new school library world. If you are excited, interested or even curious about the transformation of your school library, join Mackin as it encourages, supports and embraces the TYSL Movement. Visit Mackin at booth #517. INTRODUCING THE ELMO INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATION BOX (ICB) AND ELMO PENTACLASS CLASSROOM AUDIO SYSTEM ELMO Company Ltd., a leader in educa- tion technology for more than 90 years, is pleased to introduce ELMO ICB. ELMO Interactive Communication Box lets you instruct lessons from anywhere in your classroom using your very own tablet. With the ELMO Interactive Toolbox (EIT) Software, your tablet will act as a portable interactive whiteboard to anno- tate on, manipulate and save content. The ELMO Interactive Communication Box (ICB) allows you to view the ELMO doc- ument camera image on any tablet wire- lessly. ELMO has used its expertise in classroom engagement and combined it with years of research in acoustics, human hearing and the connection between hearing, comprehension and learning to create the one of a kind ELMO PentaClass Audio System. What sets the ELMO PentaClass apart from the competition is its versatility and ease of use while still maintaining amazing sound quality. The ELMO PentaClass, which is offered in three models, can stay portable for easy transportation, or is easily mounted on ceilings or walls. The ABM model comes with a wireless microphone which can double as a remote con- trol for volume control, power on/off or to quickly transfer from microphone to Bluetooth in a mat- ter of seconds. The Bluetooth set- ting allows the user to broadcast any Bluetooth device over the ELMO PentaClass. ELMO will be raffling off a brand new product at FETC. Stop by the booth for a product demon- stration on ICB or P2MP (ELMO's 1:1 classroom solution) and be entered into the raffle. Visit ELMO at booth #923. For more infor- mation, visit www.elmousa.com, call 800.947.3566 or email elmo@elmousa.com. GIRL SCOUTS: 'WHEN I WAS FOUR' By Claire Houston I was four when I built my first robot. Well, I helped find pieces while my older sister did the real work. Somehow the LEGOs came together and formed a machine that could sort candy by color. Little did I know that would be the first of many robots. I participated in all of the typical childhood activities – softball, Sunday school, joined my first robotics team at age eight and (of course) Girl Scouts. Robotics and Girl Scouts were always two separate activities, both things I loved doing, but I never saw how they would ever come together. I remember one robotics competition, I saw a Girl Scouts team, and was absolutely con- vinced they somehow bribed the judges with Thin Mints. How would the world of camping and cookie selling ever match with robot building and presenta- tions? I joined the Techno Chix, a FIRST Tech Challenge team offered through my council, and saw just how tightly the two worlds meshed. We ran workshops, went out into the community and did our best to inspire girls on the wonders of STEM. We had fun and loved spending time together, becoming not just teammates, but best friends. During my senior year of high school, I had a spectacular internship opportunity at Girl Scout headquarters working with the Digital Cookie team. I loved sitting down at a conference table with women from around the world and different backgrounds, watching as they developed this groundbreaking addition to the Girl Scout Cookie Program. I con- ducted a case study and presented my findings, as well as my Girl Scout story, at a conference this past July. I'm now a first year student at Mount Holyoke College. As a computer science major, with a special interest in cognitive science, I'm actively incorpo- rating all I have learned from Girl Scouts and robotics into my studies. Whatever my future plans are, I know they will involve inspiring another generation of girls. I am already on my way, co-coach- ing another Girl Scout robotics team here at school. Someday, when a young girl asks me how I've achieved my dreams, the answer will be simple – Girl Scouts. For more information, go to www.girlscouts.org.