Mobile and Blended Learning Websites
Blended Learning, Mobile Learning and Technology-rich instruction are growing trends in education and it can be overwhelming when it it comes to how use new technology tools and applications in your classroom. The websites below have great teaching tips, assessment strategies, and resources to assist with technology integration into the face-to-face classroom to create more meaningful learning experiences for students. In addition to the websites below, there are many applications listed in the Applications section of this website that have a wide variety of learning activities and educator resources.
Blogs To Follow
Accessing blogs and the educational content, curriculum, resources, etc. they house has created a pivotal change in how educators teach and plan. The educational blogging community has created a vast (over 400,000 educational blogs and counting!) and varied resource base to tap into and use in lesson planning and instructional/assessment practices. A huge benefit of blogs as an educational resource is that most blogs create and share Open Educational Resources (OERs), which are materials that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt, and re-share. By creating and sharing educational material online, educators are increasing accessibility and efficacy of best practice and resources, as well as creating an online community for educators to share ideas and receive feedback and support to better improve their teaching practice.
Blogs create a medium in which educators can access the most current information and resources, and are a relevant and authentic means to create inspiration, innovation, and hopefully transformation in their teaching and classroom. Accessing educational blogs will also increase the likelihood of educators incorporating blogging into their metacognitive practice by critically reflecting on their own teaching practice and sharing their teaching knowledge with the global education community. Additionally, educators who blog would feel more confident in using blogging as an instructional/assessment strategy in their classroom and accessing all the student benefits of blogging, such as improved skills in literacy, typing, technology, social interactions, cultural understanding, digital citizenship, and geography, just to name a few!
Below are the 'Top 6 Blogs' to follow and recommend to other educators that are considering technology integration in their face-to-face classrooms.
Links to each blog are provided in the listed titles of each blog.
Blogs create a medium in which educators can access the most current information and resources, and are a relevant and authentic means to create inspiration, innovation, and hopefully transformation in their teaching and classroom. Accessing educational blogs will also increase the likelihood of educators incorporating blogging into their metacognitive practice by critically reflecting on their own teaching practice and sharing their teaching knowledge with the global education community. Additionally, educators who blog would feel more confident in using blogging as an instructional/assessment strategy in their classroom and accessing all the student benefits of blogging, such as improved skills in literacy, typing, technology, social interactions, cultural understanding, digital citizenship, and geography, just to name a few!
Below are the 'Top 6 Blogs' to follow and recommend to other educators that are considering technology integration in their face-to-face classrooms.
Links to each blog are provided in the listed titles of each blog.
1. Educational Technology and Mobile Learning
This blog focuses on Edtech and mLearning and provides a large and useful collection of "educationally approved" apps that educators can use in the classroom, as well as strategies to integrate them successfully.
Mobile devices are changing how students learn inside and outside of the classroom, and educators and schools need to be aware of how to integrate them properly with lesson plans and curriculum.
2. Cult of Pedagogy
This is the only cult that I suggest you join. The editor in chief, Jennifer Gonzalez, is a breath of fresh air and through her blog and podcast, presents relevant, effective, and pedagogically sound teaching strategies and practices. Her blog posts are categorized into The Craft (Instructional Practices, Classroom Management, and Technology), Go Deep (Exploring Learning Theory, Leadership, Professional Development, Book Reviews, and Hot Topics), Teacher Soul (Attitude, Inspiration, Teacher Stories).
Her resources and instructional/assessment strategies are focused on the 21st Century learner and professional development. She also offers resource packages and online courses. Visit this blog and you will most definitely become the newest acolyte in her cult!
This is the only cult that I suggest you join. The editor in chief, Jennifer Gonzalez, is a breath of fresh air and through her blog and podcast, presents relevant, effective, and pedagogically sound teaching strategies and practices. Her blog posts are categorized into The Craft (Instructional Practices, Classroom Management, and Technology), Go Deep (Exploring Learning Theory, Leadership, Professional Development, Book Reviews, and Hot Topics), Teacher Soul (Attitude, Inspiration, Teacher Stories).
Her resources and instructional/assessment strategies are focused on the 21st Century learner and professional development. She also offers resource packages and online courses. Visit this blog and you will most definitely become the newest acolyte in her cult!
3. Learnlets
This blog captures the thoughts and reflections of learning design and learning technology specialist Clark Quinn. He writes about a variety of eLearning and mLearning topics and does a fantastic job of breaking down the big and intimidating topic of eLearning into "little interactive and engaging applications." This blog is a must use tool when beginning instructional design for Mobile or Blended Learning in the classroom or online.
Clark Quinn is also a prolific author of eLearning and mLearning books such as Engaging Learning: Designing e-Learning Simulation Games, Designing mLearning: Tapping Into the Mobile Revolution for Organizational Performance, The Mobile Academy: mLearning for Higher Education, Revolutionize Learning & Development: Performance and Innovation Strategy for the Information Age, and Millennials, Goldfish & Other Training Misconceptions: Debunking Learning Myths and Superstitions.
His other articles, white papers, and books can be found on the resource page of his website Quinnovation.
This blog captures the thoughts and reflections of learning design and learning technology specialist Clark Quinn. He writes about a variety of eLearning and mLearning topics and does a fantastic job of breaking down the big and intimidating topic of eLearning into "little interactive and engaging applications." This blog is a must use tool when beginning instructional design for Mobile or Blended Learning in the classroom or online.
Clark Quinn is also a prolific author of eLearning and mLearning books such as Engaging Learning: Designing e-Learning Simulation Games, Designing mLearning: Tapping Into the Mobile Revolution for Organizational Performance, The Mobile Academy: mLearning for Higher Education, Revolutionize Learning & Development: Performance and Innovation Strategy for the Information Age, and Millennials, Goldfish & Other Training Misconceptions: Debunking Learning Myths and Superstitions.
His other articles, white papers, and books can be found on the resource page of his website Quinnovation.
4. Edutopia
The George Lucas Educational Foundation funds this blog as part of a two-pronged strategy to improve K-12 education. The Force is definitely with this blog (I had to!). It has it all, up-to-date, research based articles and videos on best practices and innovations in education, housed on a clean and intuitive interface. This is one of my core teaching resources.
The George Lucas Educational Foundation funds this blog as part of a two-pronged strategy to improve K-12 education. The Force is definitely with this blog (I had to!). It has it all, up-to-date, research based articles and videos on best practices and innovations in education, housed on a clean and intuitive interface. This is one of my core teaching resources.
5. Teachthought
Teachthought is new blog to me in the last few months. I kept on finding great "how-to" tech articles that were created for this site and now I'm a regular! Check out the Technology section of this blog and get lost in how to use social media, Google Suite for Education (GSFE), and Virtual and Augmented Reality in the classroom. It has been a highly useful resource while I plan for Mobile Learning curriculum and create quick lesson ideas using apps like Twitter, Pintrest, GSFE, Facebook etc.
Teachthought is new blog to me in the last few months. I kept on finding great "how-to" tech articles that were created for this site and now I'm a regular! Check out the Technology section of this blog and get lost in how to use social media, Google Suite for Education (GSFE), and Virtual and Augmented Reality in the classroom. It has been a highly useful resource while I plan for Mobile Learning curriculum and create quick lesson ideas using apps like Twitter, Pintrest, GSFE, Facebook etc.
6. We are Teachers
This blog has fantastic lesson ideas and teaching strategies in the Classroom Ideas section. Search for articles in Assessment, Science, Technology, Math, ELA, SEL/ELL, Professional Development, you name it and you will find insightful resources created by teaching professionals.
This blog has fantastic lesson ideas and teaching strategies in the Classroom Ideas section. Search for articles in Assessment, Science, Technology, Math, ELA, SEL/ELL, Professional Development, you name it and you will find insightful resources created by teaching professionals.
Banner photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
