2012 Technological Literacy Framework Project Draft Released

The National Assessment Governing Board released a draft of the 2012 Technological Literacy Framework Project. The draft was a collaborative effort involving groups like The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the State Education Technology Directors Association (SEDTA), and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. The framework is intended to create national standards for assessing students in 4th, 8th, and 12th grade on their ability to use technology.

A recent Education Week article discusses the framework and provides a link to the full report. Check it out and see what may be expected of 21st century students.

New 21CS Project Alert: Myth & Lore We Share

We're happy to announce our newest 21st Century Skills Project, "Myth & Lore We Share". A 21st Century Skills Project includes:

• Step-by-step tutorials that walk you through the project
• Project Activity Guide - includes how the project infuses 21st Century Skills into the classroom, students assessment rubrics and discussion questions
• Copy of the finished example project
• All the resources needed to recreate the example project
• A Professional Development Workbook – including clear steps on how to adapt the project, a self-assessment rubric, reflection worksheets, and more!

Learn more about 21st century skills concepts here.

This project examines common themes and archetypes found in folklore and myth, as one way to illustrate cross-cultural similarities and promote global awareness. The example project demonstrates how students might conduct a research project that explores common themes found in folk stories or mythologies that originate in different parts of the world and at different points in history.

The tutorials provide instruction for using a word processing program to record and organize information that is gathered, including how to properly cite sources using the MLA Citation Style. The final project report will be prepared in a presentation program for sharing with the class or others outside the classroom.

Discussion questions, assessment rubrics, and information about adapting and extending the example project are included in the resource materials available for download with this project.

http://www.atomiclearning.com/21st_mythlore_mac

New Product Alert: 21st Century Skills - Comic Science

This project provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of a scientific concept in a creative way, through the application of multimedia tools. The example project illustrates how students might use a comic book format to communicate the steps involved in applying the scientific method toward problem resolution. The tutorials demonstrate the process of creating comic panels that incorporate text and graphics, for the purpose of conveying information that students gathered when researching a topic.

In addition to teaching the technology skills, the tutorials discuss other 21st century skills and concepts, such as research methods, critical thinking, and problem solving. Discussion questions, assessment rubrics, and information about adapting and extending the example project are included in the resource materials available for download with this project.

http://www.atomiclearning.com/21st_comicscience_pc

Check this out: More ActiveInspire training now available!

Hey, everyone! Atomic Learning has some new stuff up today. Check out the 4 new tutorials in the ActiveInspire series...

With ActivInspire®, there's something for everyone: Students get focused with fun, interactive lessons and engaged with integrated learning tools; and teachers get results from immediate student responses. ActivInspire combines cross-platform functionality that works on Windows, Mac and Linux with two interface options - Activprimary®, Activstudio® - to create a complete educational software solution.

http://www.atomiclearning.com/activinsp_pc/