Although I could make a list of 10 uses for old toothpaste tubes in a classroom, I think it would be a waste of time and pretty much useless. Afterall, I have no pedagogical need to use toothpaste tubes in my classrooms and even if I had one use for them I doubt I could think of 10 good uses.
The same goes for the “10 uses for in your classroom” blog posts and online articles.
[]One question that I’ve seen pop up again and again in science classes is, “what would happen to Earth if the Sun suddenly disappeared?”
I’ve had this question in science 9, science and technology, and in physics. I guess it’s one of those things that many people hypothesize on. I was thinking about this today, along with the idea of Essential Questions driving classroom explorations and learning. I wondered if we could use the following as the essential question for a unit on gravity in Physics 12
An issue I’m struggling with is whether a science classroom should allow cell phones to be used a calculator. It’s a pretty complex issue with lots of different aspects coming into play. A brief list of pros/cons is:
Pros
smartphones are powerful computers and can be utilized sometimes people forget to bring calculators to class (human error) one less device to carry, charge, pay for Cons
difficult if not impossible to discern between a student that is using a smartphone as a calculator as opposed to using their smartphone for messaging removes the teachable moment of a student having a consequence for not coming to class prepared possibility of cheating on a test or quiz complex rules that will lead to abuse: smartphone ok for class but not test; ok to use if you forget your calculator but don’t make it a habit I’d really like to hear your thoughts on this issue.
I just came across this article on Teresa Dove, who was recently awarded America’s first-ever K-12 Online Teacher of the Year. I won’t go into what I actually think of such an award… Dove listed what she felt were the 5 most important things for online education and Ithought I would list them here given as a compare/contrast with Chikering and Gamson’s Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education.
